Atlantis' crew prepares for return home

Ahead of a planned Wednesday landing, Atlantis' crew will spend the morning testing the jets and airplane-like surfaces needed to guide the orbiter through its atmosphere re-entry and glide home.

The space shuttle is scheduled to return home at 8:48 a.m. Wednesday, weather permitting. It could be Atlantis' final landing; the shuttle has no more scheduled flights.

Here is the crew's schedule today:

12:20 a.m.: Crew awakes.

3:40 a.m.: Tests of wing flaps, rudder speed break and other aero surfaces.

4 a.m.: Equipment packed in crew cabin.

4:50 a.m.: Test firing of orbiter jets to ensure readiness for atmospheric re-entry.

8:10 a.m.: Media interviews with The Colbert Report, ABC Radio and WEWS-TV.

1:10 p.m.: Ku-band antenna stored in payload bay.

4:20 p.m.: Crew sleeps.

The mission team's briefing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Watch it by clicking on the NASA TV image on the right side of the page.