Atlantis Undocks from Station, landing Friday

Atlantis_Sts129Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven-astronaut crew undocked from the International Space Station at 4:53 a.m. EST. Pilot Barry Wilmore piloted Atlantis during its flyaround of the station.

Shuttle astronauts used the camera on the Orbiter Boom Sensor System to survey the condition of Atlantis’ waste water dump nozzle. Capcom Megan McArthur told Commander Charles Hobaugh that it appears there is a slight discoloration that could be frost, but no ice. It is likely that there is a blockage in the line, which will not be a concern for a planned Friday landing.

Tuesday at 10 a.m., European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne handed over command of the station to NASA astronaut Jeff Williams. De Winne and Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Roman Romanenko and Robert Thirsk are scheduled to leave the station for return to Earth in a Soyuz capsule on Nov. 30.