The seven people aboard the space shuttle Atlantis are giving thanks a day late this year, as the craft touched down on terra firma this morning at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. According to CNN, the crew members were greeted with bright sunshine as they returned after an 11-day mission to deliver key spare parts to prolong the life of the international space station.
“Couldn’t have picked a clearer day,” Commander Charles Hobaugh said as the shuttle approached the runway. Mission Control told Hobaugh that the landing was a “picture-perfect end” to the mission. “Everybody, welcome back to Earth,” Mission Control said.
The crew’s mission included three space walks and installation of two platforms to the station’s backbone. The platforms will hold spare parts that will sustain station operations after the shuttles are discontinued. NASA said the parts the crew delivered, some of which keep the station from overheating or tumbling through space, will add years to the station’s life after the space shuttle fleet is retired next year.
During the mission, the crew actually did celebrate Thanksgiving while they prepared for landing: They dined on smoked turkey, green beans, mushrooms, cornbread dressing and candied yams, according to NASA. Not bad for space food!
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