Atlantis set for express trip home - more TPS results

By Chris Bergin, 6/27/2007 4:45:09 PM

NASA are discussing the potential of returning Atlantis back to the Kennedy Space Center over the space of just a single day, with an early morning flight on Friday arriving back in Florida the same evening.

Atlantis is undergoing preparations for her ferry flight from the Dryden Flight Research Center, which has revealed further reports on the status of her Thermal Protection System (TPS) following STS-117.

Atlantis, set to leave Dryden at Edwards Air Force Base on Friday was initially set to arrive back at KSC on Sunday or Monday, although NASA are now looking to utilize the long summer day's daylight.

'Current Ferry Flight plan has wheels up from Dryden scheduled for early Friday and landing at KSC Friday afternoon, weather permitting,' noted processing information on Wednesday.

More at www.nasaspaceflight.com