Live In Orbit: Astronauts Go For Fluid-Loading

The Atlantis astronauts have been given a green light to start drinking water, sports beverages and tea in advance of a planned 10:09 a.m. landing at Kennedy Space Center. But mission managers told them to take a conservative approach to their fluid-loading in case the weather in central Florida forces NASA to keep the crew in space one extra orbit.

Astronauts drink about a quart or a half-gallon of liquid prior to reentry to counteract the adverse effect of reentry on the human body. Body fluids pool in the head and upper torso in zero gravity. Then they come rushing down into the lower torso when astronauts reenter a normal gravity field at an altitude of about 400,000 feet. The fluid shift can leave astronauts light-headed -- a condition that could make landing more dangerous.

An example: Mission commander Scott Altman is drinking 24 ounces of tropical punch, 12 ounces of chicken consomme and 24 ounces of Lemon-Lime Ade. He also is taking four salt tables. See the menu for the rest of the astronauts on the penultimate page of the Flight Day 11 Execute Package.

Flight directors in this case told the astronauts not to load up on fluids too fast in case NASA waves off the 10:09 a.m. attenpt. The shuttle's toilet is deactivated and the astronauts can't go to the bathroom while they are suited up for reentry.

The shuttle and its crew are going to be given a go-ahead to land today at either KSC or Edwards Air Force Base in California. Atlantis would run out of electrical power to run spaceship systems after Monday, and mission managers don't want to keep the shuttle and its crew in orbit another day.

NASA mission managers are keeping close tabs on thunderstorms brewing to the southeast of KSC. NASA Chief Astronaut Steve Lindsey is flying weather reconnaissance in a Shuttle Training Aircraft at this time.

NASA Entry Flight Director Norm Knight faces a go/no-go decision on a deorbit burn that would take place at 8:57 a.m.

The shuttle would have one more opportunity to land at KSC today: 11:48 a.m.

There are two opportunities at Edwards: 11:38 a.m. and 1:17 p.m.

The weather there is excellent.