The 13 crew members aboard space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station completed final transfer work between the two spacecraft Sunday in preparation for Monday afternoon’s scheduled return of the high-tech moving van “Leonardo” back to the orbiter’s payload bay.
With Leonardo packed with items for return to Earth, the crew planned to spend some free time together Sunday evening before Monday’s careful return of the Italian-built logistics module to Discovery for return home and refurbishment before it is used again to deliver more supplies to the station.
Earlier Sunday, Danny Olivas and Tim Kopra talked about their missions with hometown television stations in El Paso and Austin, Texas, respectively.
Toward the end of the crew day Sunday, European Space Agency astronauts Christer Fuglesang and Frank De Winne gathered in the Columbus module for a special event with representatives from Sweden.
With seven days of docked operations behind them, the astronauts and cosmonauts will say their goodbyes and close the hatches Monday about 10:30 p.m. EDT.
With Leonardo packed with items for return to Earth, the crew planned to spend some free time together Sunday evening before Monday’s careful return of the Italian-built logistics module to Discovery for return home and refurbishment before it is used again to deliver more supplies to the station.
Earlier Sunday, Danny Olivas and Tim Kopra talked about their missions with hometown television stations in El Paso and Austin, Texas, respectively.
Toward the end of the crew day Sunday, European Space Agency astronauts Christer Fuglesang and Frank De Winne gathered in the Columbus module for a special event with representatives from Sweden.
With seven days of docked operations behind them, the astronauts and cosmonauts will say their goodbyes and close the hatches Monday about 10:30 p.m. EDT.
