Atlantis mission extended by one day

Jul 11, 2011, 21:34 GMT

Washington - NASA on Monday added one day to the final mission in the shuttle programme to give the Atlantis crew an extra day to stow supplies at the International Space Station, NASA manager LeRoy Cain said.

This means Atlantis will return to Earth July 21, missing by a day the 42nd anniversary of the first moon landing.

Atlantis docked with the ISS Sunday on what is the last visit by a shuttle before the fleet is retired. On Tuesday, two Atlantis crew members are to conduct the first spacewalk.

Earlier Monday, astronauts began transferring tons of spare parts and supplies from Atlantis to the space station. They used the station's robotic arm to remove a container of supplies from the shuttle's payload pay and attach it to the station during the unloading process. More than 130 man-hours will be needed to unload the cargo carrier and then to refill it with cargo being sent back to Earth.

The 3.6 metric tons of supplies and spare parts are to keep the ISS stocked through next year.

Though the Russian, European and Japanese space agencies can all deliver equipment to the station, no other craft can carry such large heavy loads. NASA is working with commercial companies currently developing new spacecraft to deliver cargo, and eventually astronauts, to the ISS.

Atlantis launched on its mission Friday from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, leaving a trail of sadness among the NASA workforce and fans after 30 years in orbit for the shuttle programme.

The ageing fleet is being retired due not only to long-standing safety concerns but also to free up funds to focus on developing a new spacecraft that will be able to reach more distant destinations.