Crew on board ISS prepares for the journey back home

Crew on board ISS prepares for the journey back home

NASA has already given its go ahead for the journey back home. Now the crew on board the International Space Station is preparing for their return to earth. The journey back home is scheduled for this coming Monday and NASA would be all set to welcome the crew from the only space shuttle mission in the last 3 years. This mission would be Shuttle’s only mission in quite sometime as NASA has again grounded the Space Shuttle fleet on security grounds.

Discovery Space Shuttle itself suffered minor damage during the launch period by the debris, which fall down from the shuttle. It has caused so much concern around that NASA has promised that they won’t launch another shuttle unless they can find out a solution for the debris problem.

Discovery also required minor repair work while docked to the International Space Station and still has some safety issues, which NASA believes are not serious enough for a return journey. After Space Shuttle undocks with the ISS, it will fly around the space station, taking pictures from every angle. Paul Hill, lead shuttle flight director said in a statement: “We are doing it to take pictures of the space station, snap some pictures from some angles we haven’t seen since the last orbiter was there in 2002.”

He added: “We are in really good shape. The vehicle is in pristine condition. All the tests are good, we are ready to go. But de-orbit is not a risk free activity. Our big risk now would be the weather.”