Space Shuttle Crew Set To Return To Earth Wednesday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle Atlantis and its six-member crew are expected to return to Earth on Wednesday, May 26, after a 12-day mission. NASA managers will evaluate weather conditions at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida before permitting Atlantis to land.

Wednesday landing opportunities at Kennedy are at 8:48 a.m. and 10:22 a.m. EDT. If Atlantis is unable to land Wednesday, additional opportunities are available at Kennedy on Thursday at 9:13 a.m. and 10:48 a.m. There are opportunities Friday at Kennedy and backup landing site Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. For recorded updates about landing, call 321-867-2525.

Approximately two hours after Atlantis lands, NASA officials will hold a media briefing to discuss the mission. The participants will be:
-     Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations
-     Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager
-     Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director

After touchdown, the astronauts will undergo routine physical examinations and meet with their families. The crew will participate in a post-landing news conference approximately four and a half hours after landing. The news events will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency’s website.

The Kennedy news center will open for landing activities from 4:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The STS-132 media badges are in effect through landing. The media accreditation building on State Road 3 will open at 4 a.m. Wednesday. The last bus will depart from the news center for the Shuttle Landing Facility one hour before landing.

Source and photo: NASA