• 19 April 2002 - Afternoon Update - TOUCHDOWN! - Atlantis has landed at Kennedy Space Center, completing her 4.5-million- mile journey! The astros have come home from a successful mission to add a giant girder to the International Space Station, which will allow for future expansion of the orbital outpost.  NASA reports:

  Atlantis Makes Perfect Landing
  From a clear Florida sky, Commander Mike Bloomfield and Pilot Steve Frick brought Atlantis safely to Earth today, landing at 12:26 p.m. EDT [11:26PM CDT/1626 GMT] at the Kennedy Space Center. While docked to the International Space Station, Bloomfield, Frick, and Mission Specialists Ellen Ochoa, Rex Walheim, Lee Morin, Jerry Ross and Steve Smith installed the S-Zero truss to the station, setting the stage for future station expansion and research.

  Four space walks were required for the installation. Atlantis traveled over 4 million miles during this mission, STS-110, which lasted almost 11 days.

  The members of the Expedition Four crew aboard the station, Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineers Carl Walz and Dan Bursch, are now focused on the arrival of its next set of visitors -- the Soyuz 4 Taxi Flight Crew -- on April 27.

  Check out the Ask the STS-110 Crew Answers and Ask the MCC Answers.

  Watch NASA TV to see continuing coverage of STS-110's postflight activities. NASA TV Schedule

  The crew is expected to return to Texas on Saturday. Landing videos are up at KSC and The Houston Chronicle. Latest pics from KSC.

  
  

• 19 April - Morning Update - DE-ORBIT BURN - Atlantis has fired braking rockets to drop out of orbit, to take the first landing opportunity at KSC.  NASA reports:

  STS-110 Heads to Florida
  Commander Michael Bloomfield fired Space Shuttle Atlantis' engines to begin the last leg of STS-110's mission. The de-orbit burn was performed at 10:19 a.m. CDT [11:29AM EDT/1519 GMT] and puts Atlantis on track for an 11:27 a.m. CDT [12:27PM EDT/1627 GMT] landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

  The STS-110 astronauts are returning home after a successful mission to the International Space Station. While at the station, the STS-110 crew installed the S0 [truss] and performed four spacewalks. The S0 is the centerpiece of the station's external framework, and its installation sets the stage for future station expansion and research. They also prepared the first railroad in space, the Mobile Transporter, for use.

  Flight Day 11 highlights are up at The Houston Chronicle.

  
  

• 19 April 2002 - Landing Day - Flight Day 12 will be a short one, with Atlantis scheduled to return to where she was launched today.  NASA reports:

  Landing Day Arrives for STS-110
  The STS-110 crew is scheduled to wrap up a successful mission to deliver the S0 (S-Zero) Truss to the International Space Station when Space Shuttle Atlantis lands at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

  The first of two landing opportunities for Atlantis today is at 11:26 a.m. CDT [12:26PM EDT/1626 GMT], with the de-orbit burn occurring at 10:20 a.m. CDT [11:20AM EDT/1520 GMT]. If the second opportunity is needed, the de-orbit burn would occur at 11:59 a.m. CDT [12:59PM EDT/1659 GMT] and landing at 1:03 p.m. CDT [2:03PM EDT/1803 GMT]. Weather forecasts call for favorable conditions.

  While at the station, the STS-110 crew installed the S0 and performed four spacewalks. The S0 is the centerpiece of the station's external framework, and its installation sets the stage for future station expansion and research.

  Weather is looking so good at the Florida landing site, that the backup site in California will not be activated today. Watch NASA TV for live video coverage, and check the play-by-play links at top right for up-to-the-minute mission status.

• 18 April 2002 - Evening Update - The seven astronauts of Atlantis have wrapped up their final full day in orbit. The ship is buttoned up and ready for tomorrow's homecoming.  NASA reports:

  Crew Prepares for Landing
  Atlantis’ astronauts tested out their ship’s systems today and packed their gear, aiming for an early afternoon landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Friday to wrap up a 7.2-million-kilometer (4.5-million-mile) mission to deliver the S0 (S-Zero) Truss to the International Space Station.

  Commander Mike Bloomfield, Pilot Steve Frick and Flight Engineer Ellen Ochoa activated one of three hydraulic power units on Atlantis and tested all of the shuttle’s aerosurfaces to ensure that Atlantis will have full controllability during its high-speed return to Earth Friday. Bloomfield and Frick then test-fired Atlantis’ steering jets, which were declared ready to support entry and landing. Bloomfield, Frick and Ochoa joined crewmates Rex Walheim, Lee Morin, Jerry Ross and Steve Smith to stow all of the equipment they have used over the past 10 days and parked the shuttle’s KU-band dish antenna in preparation for the closing of Atlantis’ cargo bay doors early Friday morning.

  The crew of Atlantis was scheduled to begin a scheduled eight-hour sleep period at 6:14 p.m. [7:14PM EDT/2314 GMT] today, and will be awakened just after 2 a.m. [3AM EDT/0700 GMT] Friday to prepare for entry and landing. All shuttle and ISS systems are operating normally.

  Watch NASA TV on Friday to see coverage of STS-110's return home. Space Shuttle Atlantis and its seven-member crew are slated to land at 11:26 a.m. CDT [12:26PM EDT/1626 GMT] at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. NASA TV Schedule

  Here are the Ground Tracks for the first and second landing opportunities tomorrow. If the first (for some reason) did not look good, the second attempt would come at 2:02PM EDT (1802 GMT). Flight Day 10 videos and images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

  
  

• 18 April 2002 - Flight Day 11 is underway, with Atlantis heading for a touchdown at KSC tomorrow. NASA reports:

  Atlantis' Astronauts Prepare for Landing
  On board Atlantis today, the crew turns its attention to Friday's scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center. The crew awoke at 2:44 a.m. central time [3:44AM EDT/0744 GMT] today and will spend the day stowing away gear and hardware, and testing Atlantis' reaction control system jets and flight control surfaces.

  Preliminary weather forecasts for a Friday landing at the Kennedy Space Center look favorable. Atlantis is scheduled to touchdown at 11:26 a.m. central time [12:26PM EDT/1626 GMT] tomorrow.

  The STS-110 Landing Ground Tracks are available.

  Landing is scheduled for Friday at 12:36PM EDT (1636 GMT). Flight Day 9 videos and images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

• 17 April 2002 - Evening Update - Flight Day 10 is complete. The STS-110 astronauts have said their goodbyes to the Expedition 4 crew, Atlantis has undocked, and final separation burns have put the orbiter on a course for home.  NASA reports:

  Atlantis Undocks from Station, Begins Trip Home
  Space Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station at 1:31 p.m. CDT [2:31PM EDT/1831 GMT] today, ending STS-110's successful stay and beginning the trip home.

  While at the station, the crew conducted four spacewalks to install and outfit the S0 (S-Zero) Truss and to prepare the station for future spacewalks. STS-110 also delivered science experiments and additional supplies.

  After undocking, Pilot Steve Frick flew 1¼ laps around the Station, and then fired maneuvering jets to make the final separation.

  Flight Day 8 images are up in the NASA Gallery. Flight Day 9 Highlights are available at The Houston Chronicle.

  
  

• 17 April 2002 - Undocking Day - With all four spacewalks in the books, Flight Day 10 will see Atlantis separate from the International Space Station, in preparation for Friday's landing. The crews are in the final hours of their joint operations this morning. NASA reports:

  Atlantis to Undock from Station
  The STS-110 crew will wrap up a successful weeklong stay at the International Space Station when Space Shuttle Atlantis undocks from the orbital outpost at 1:31 p.m. CDT [2:31PM EDT/1831 GMT] today.

  The STS-110 and Expedition Four crews will bid farewell to each other before the hatches between Atlantis and the station are closed about 10:29 a.m. CDT [11:29AM EDT/1529 GMT].

  After Atlantis undocks, Pilot Steve Frick will perform a flyaround of the station. Steering jets will fire a final separation burn to begin Atlantis' departure from the station about 3:15 p.m. [4:15PM EDT/2015 GMT] today.

  Watch NASA TV today to see the departure of Space Shuttle Atlantis and the STS-110 crew from the International Space Station. The final farewell between the STS-110 and Expedition Four crews and hatch closure is slated to occur at 10:30 a.m. CDT [11:30AM EDT/1530 GMT]. Atlantis is scheduled to undock at 1:31 p.m. CDT [2:31PM EDT/1831 GMT]. NASA TV Schedule

  Landing is scheduled for this Friday at 12:36PM EDT (1636 GMT). Watch NASA TV for live video coverage, and check the play-by-play links at top right for up-to-the-minute mission status.

For reports covering the last two EVAs, see Part 3 of the STS-110 Mission Journal.