Ivins Credit - www.spacefacts.de

Personal: Female, divorced. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Astronaut Career

Astronaut Group: NASA Group 10 - 1984. Active Entered space service: 23 May 1984. Number of Flights: 5.00. Total Time: 55.91 days.

NAME: Marsha S. Ivins

NASA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA:

Born April 15, 1951, in Baltimore, Maryland. She enjoys flying, reading, baking. Her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Ivins, reside in Wallingford, Pennsylvania.

EDUCATION:

Graduated from Nether Providence High School, Wallingford, Pennsylvania, in 1969; received a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado in 1973.

NASA EXPERIENCE:

Ms. Ivins has been employed at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center since July 1974, and until 1980, was assigned as an engineer, Crew Station Design Branch, working on Orbiter Displays and Controls and Man Machine Engineering. Her major assignment in 1978 was to participate in development of the Orbiter Head-Up Display (HUD). In 1980 she was assigned as a flight engineer on the Shuttle Training Aircraft (Aircraft Operations) and a co-pilot in the NASA administrative aircraft (Gulfstream-1).

Ms. Ivins holds a multi-engine Airline Transport Pilot License with Gulfstream-1 type rating, single engine airplane, land, sea, and glider commercial licenses, and airplane, instrument, and glider flight instructor ratings. She has logged over 5,700 hours in civilian and NASA aircraft.

Ms. Ivins was selected in the NASA Astronaut Class of 1984 as a mission specialist. Her technical assignments to date include: crew support for Orbiter launch and landing operations; review of Orbiter safety and reliability issues; avionics upgrades to the Orbiter cockpit; software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) in Mission Control; crew representative for Orbiter photographic system and procedures; crew representative for Orbiter flight crew equipment issues; Lead of Astronaut Support Personnel team at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, supporting Space Shuttle launches and landings.

STS-32 STS-32 Mission Specialist Ivins is surrounded by cameras on aft flight deck... Credit- NASA

A veteran of four space flights, (STS-32 in 1990, STS-46 in 1992, STS-62 in 1994, and STS-81 in 1997), Ms. Ivins has logged over 1009 hours in space.

STS-32 (January 9-20, 1990) launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on an eleven-day flight, during which crew members on board the Orbiter Columbia successfully deployed a Syncom satellite, and retrieved the 21,400 pound Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). Mission duration was 261 hours, 1 minute, and 38 seconds. Following 173 orbits of the Earth and 4.5 million miles, Columbia returned with a night landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

STS-46 (July 31-August 8, 1992) was an 8-day mission, during which crew members deployed the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) satellite, and conducted the first Tethered Satellite System (TSS) test flight. Mission duration was 191 hours, 16 minutes, and 7 seconds. Space Shuttle Atlantis and her crew launched and landed at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, completing 126 orbits of the Earth in 3.35 million miles.

STS-62 (March 4-18, 1994) was a 14-day mission for the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP) 2 and Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) 2 payloads. These payloads studied the effects of microgravity on materials sciences and other space flight technologies. Other experiments on board included demonstration of advanced teleoperator tasks using the remote manipulator system, protein crystal growth, and dynamic behavior of space structures. Mission duration was 312 hours, 23 minutes, and 16 seconds. Space Shuttle Columbia launched and landed at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, completing 224 orbits in 5.82 million miles.

STS-81 (January 12-22, 1997) was a 10-day mission, the fifth to dock with Russia's Space Station Mir, and the second to exchange U.S. astronauts. The mission also carried the Spacehab double module providing additional middeck locker space for secondary experiments. In five days of docked operations more than three tons of food, water, experiment equipment and samples were moved back and forth between the two spacecraft. Following 160 orbits of the Earth the STS-81 mission concluded with a landing on Kennedy Space Center's Runway 33 ending a 3.9 million mile journey. Mission duration was 244 hours, 56 minutes.

• 9 January 1990 Flight: STS-32. Flight Up: STS-32. Flight Back: STS-32. Flight Time: 10.88 days.

• 31 July 1992 Flight: STS-46. Flight Up: STS-46. Flight Back: STS-46. Flight Time: 7.97 days.

• 4 March 1994 Flight: STS-62. Flight Up: STS-62. Flight Back: STS-62. Flight Time: 13.97 days.

• 12 January 1997 Flight: STS-81. Flight Up: STS-81. Flight Back: STS-81. Flight Time: 10.21 days.

• 7 February 2001 Flight: STS-98. Flight Up: STS-98. Flight Back: STS-98. Flight Time: 12.89 days.

23 May 1984 - NASA Astronaut Training Group 10 selected.. The group was selected to provide pilot, engineer, and scientist astronauts for space shuttle flights.. Qualifications: Pilots: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Advanced degree desirable. At least 1,000 flight-hours of pilot-in-command time. Flight test experience desirable. Excellent health. Vision minimum 20/50 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 vision; maximum sitting blood pressure 140/90. Height between 163 and 193 cm.

Mission Specialists: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics and minimum three years of related experience or an advanced degree. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm..

Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev conducted biomedical and engineering experiments, Station systems maintenance and exercise this week, reporting that everything is proceeding smoothly more than halfway through their stay aboard the ISS.

The only technical issue being addressed by Russian flight controllers involves a minor problem with battery three in the Zvezda Service Module, which was temporarily taken offline to enable Krikalev to check connector pins from the battery itself to a current converter unit behind one of the panels in the Station's living quarters. The battery experienced a small drop in current flow, but has no impact on Station operations. All other batteries in Zvezda and the Zarya module are functioning normally as they draw power from the U.S. P6 solar arrays mounted on top of the Station's Unity module. The huge U.S. solar arrays are providing more than ample power for all Station systems.

Because the sun is shining obliquely to the Russian module solar arrays this week due to its angle relative to the Earth, Russian controllers decided to reduce the power output of the Elektron oxygen generation system in Zvezda to conserve electricity. One or two solid fuel oxygen generation canisters will be activated today and tomorrow to augment the output of oxygen on board the ISS until the Elektron is returned to full power Friday when the sun is in a more favorable angle to the solar arrays of both Zvezda and Zarya. All environmental systems on the ISS are functioning normally.

Later this week, Shepherd, Gidzenko and Krikalev will review flight plans for the upcoming mission of Atlantis to the ISS to deliver the U.S. Laboratory Destiny, the cornerstone of scientific research for years to come on the Station. Today, Atlantis was transported to Launch Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center for final prelaunch preparations leading to liftoff in about three weeks on the first Shuttle mission of 2001.

Atlantis' five astronauts, Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones will conduct a variety of countdown dress rehearsal procedures later this week at the Cape, culminating in a simulated launch countdown Saturday morning with the crew on board the Shuttle.

Launch of Atlantis to bring Destiny to the ISS is targeted for no earlier than January 19. Next week, NASA Shuttle and ISS managers will hold their traditional Flight Readiness Review to set a firm launch date for Atlantis' mission to the Station.

The International Space Station continues to operate in excellent shape as it orbits the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of 230 statute miles.

Shuttle and station managers selected the target launch date following Wednesday's traditional Flight Readiness Review to assess the readiness of the shuttle, station, crew, payloads and flight control teams. Based on a Friday early morning launch, Atlantis is scheduled to dock to the ISS just before 9 p.m. Eastern on January 20.

In preparation for the shuttle's arrival, Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev conducted a thorough inventory of items onboard and began stowing equipment and supplies to clear passageways that will be used by the two crews throughout the seven days of joint operations.

Remaining work for the Expedition One crew in preparing for Atlantis' arrival includes reviewing documentation for the laboratory's activation, conferences with various technical specialists and the STS-98 crew, and a mid-tour debrief with flight controllers.

Destiny's attachment and activation is the highlight of the 11-day mission along with the relocation of a shuttle docking port and three spacewalks designed to complete final connections between the laboratory, docking port and the station. The third spacewalk will mark the 100th in U.S. spacewalk history and the 60th based out of the shuttle.

In preparation for the relocation of the shuttle docking port, known as Pressurized Mating Adapter 2, flight controllers in Houston attempted to cycle four latches on the Common Berthing Mechanism to which the PMA currently is attached. The first latch cycled properly, but the second apparently was obstructed by a piece of the air ducting used to circulate air throughout the station while a shuttle is docked. Shepherd visibly detected the obstruction and a plan is in place to pressurize the volume of the PMA so that he can float in, move the vent and watch as flight controllers cycle the latch once again. This procedure sets the stage for the removal of the PMA to free the location for Destiny's installation.

The only technical issue on the station at present is an apparent faulty current converter unit on one of eight batteries inside the Zvezda module. It has no impact on the station's electrical generation capability, especially in light of the ample power available from the solar arrays installed on the STS-97 mission of Discovery in December. All station life support systems are working fine.

Atlantis' five astronauts, Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones conducted a countdown dress rehearsal last weekend as technicians were installing the Destiny lab in its payload bay at Launch Complex 39B.

The International Space Station continues to operate in excellent shape as it orbits the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of 230 statute miles.

Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev spent the last week reinstating the use of all eight batteries inside the Zvezda module by replacing a faulty current converter unit.

Meanwhile the crew pressurized and entered the shuttle docking port that will be repositioned on the next mission and moved an air duct that was obstructing the full motion of one of four berthing latches. Once the duct was moved, the latch was cycled without problem and is ready for the removal of the docking port in preparation for the installation of Destiny. The docking port then will be relocated to the opposite end of the laboratory.

For the next week, the Expedition One crew will continue to conduct a thorough inventory of items onboard and stow equipment and supplies. The three crew members also will review documentation for the laboratory's activation, practice for an emergency departure similar to building fire drills, and take part in conferences with various technical specialists.

Shuttle managers ordered the rollback of Atlantis off the launch pad so that inspections can be made to cables inside a tray on the Solid Rocket Boosters. Destiny was removed from the payload bay today and will remain in a protective room on the launch pad until Atlantis returns next week.

Launch of Atlantis on the 102nd shuttle flight now is scheduled for no earlier than Feb. 6. Liftoff is tentatively set for 5:37 p.m. CST (2337 GMT). Docking to the station will occur just after Noon on Feb. 8.

Destiny will provide the orbiting outpost with its first science facility. Its attachment and activation is the highlight of the 11-day mission along with the relocation of the shuttle docking port. Three space walks will complete final connections between the laboratory, docking port and the station. The third space walk marks the 100th in U.S. Space walk history and the 60th based out of the shuttle.

Atlantis' five astronauts, Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones will spend the next two weeks reviewing their official Flight Data File before flying to the Kennedy Space Center for the final days of the countdown.

International Space Station systems are in excellent shape orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of approximately 230 statute miles.

Following the shuttle's return to the launch pad, the U.S. Laboratory Destiny was installed in the payload bay Tuesday and the doors closed for flight last night. Atlantis' launch remains scheduled for 6:11 p.m. EST, Feb. 7. The STS-98 flight crew of Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Tom Jones, Marsha Ivins and Bob Curbeam are scheduled to fly to the Kennedy Space Center Sunday afternoon with the countdown scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. EST.

Meanwhile aboard the station, the Expedition One crew of Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev continue the task of preparing for the shuttle's arrival while continuing their daily routine of exercise and housekeeping chores.

Troubleshooting efforts on a vibration measuring experiment paid off late last week when Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd recovered the operation of the Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE). The experiment appears to be working fine and timeliners are busily searching for openings in the crew's long-range plan to accommodate further operations with this experiment that originally flew as a shuttle payload to measure tiny amounts of vibration in an effort to identify how normal activity onboard may affect sensitive experiments.

Flight controllers plan to conduct an experiment to measure the electrical charging on the outside of the station by strategically positioning the large U.S. solar arrays as the station circles the Earth. The hopes are to correlate the array position with the amount of arcing that may be generated. Plasma Contactor Units on the station are designed to eliminating the arcing, if present. This Detailed Test Objective is designed to gather additional information that will help verify engineering models and/or refine future planning that may be required.

Additionally, the crew and flight controllers are planning to conduct a dry-run of the procedures for the shuttle docking to the ISS planned for two days after launch.

Plans for the crew and flight controllers may include a test of station procedures that will be used for the docking of the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Orbiting the Earth at an average altitude of 230 statute miles, the International Space Station is operating in excellent condition.

Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones rocketed away from Launch Pad 39-A at 5:13p.m. Central time, lighting up the central Florida skies as they began their pursuit of the international complex. The launch was delayed by about two minutes while ground controllers resolved a false reading from a sensor in a data relay unit on the Shuttle. Atlantis' flight is the 102nd Space Shuttle mission.

At the time of launch, the three Expedition One crewmembers aboard the ISS were passing over the north Atlantic due east of St. John's, Newfoundland, about 1,500 statute miles ahead of Atlantis. They were notified of the launch minutes after Atlantis reached orbit by Spacecraft Communicator Dan Burbank in Mission Control, and a video of the launch was transmitted to the crew. Expedition Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev will be awakened shortly after 4 a.m. Central time Thursday, their 100th day in space, a little over an hour before an unmanned Progress resupply vehicle is scheduled to be undocked from the ISS at around 5:25 a.m. The Progress undocking will clear the way for Atlantis to link up to the station on Friday. The Progress will be commanded into a destructive deorbit several hours after undocking.

Less than nine minutes after liftoff, Atlantis' astronauts went to work to prepare the Shuttle's systems for their planned 11-day mission. The first major task on the flight plan was to open Atlantis' cargo bay doors prior to receiving a "go" for orbital operations from Ascent Flight Director LeRoy Cain. The astronauts are expected to set up computers and flight deck gear before beginning an eight-hour sleep period at 10:11 p.m. Central time. The Shuttle crew will be awakened at 6:11 a.m. Friday to begin its first full day in space.

With this evening's successful launch behind them, Atlantis' astronauts will turn their attention to their chase of the International Space Station, performing several firings of the ship's jet thrusters over the next two days to set up a docking with the outpost on Friday just before 11 a.m. Over the ensuing week, the crew will perform three space walks as they help to install and hook up the 16-ton Destiny research lab.

The first full day in orbit for Astronauts Ken Cockrell, Polansky, Marsha Ivins, Tom Jones and Bob Curbeam will focus on preparations for the unberthing and installation of the Destiny laboratory to the International Space Station. Ivins and Cockrell will check out the 50-foot long robotic arm, and conduct a camera survey of the payload bay with the 16-ton Destiny laboratory housed inside. Curbeam and Jones, with assistance from Polansky, will test the space suits they will wear during three scheduled space walks, the first of which is planned for Saturday as Ivins uses the ship's robot arm to install Destiny onto the Unity module of the Station.

Cockrell and Polansky will command a series of engine firings to refine Atlantis' approach to the station, positioning themselves for a Friday morning docking, just before 11 a.m. Central time.

On board the station, the Expedition One crew - Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev - awoke just after 4 a.m. to mark its 100th day in orbit. From on board they kept tabs as an unmanned Progress resupply spacecraft, loaded with trash, undocked from the station at 5:26 a.m. Central time as the Station flew high over Asia. A series of engine firings on the Progress slowly increased the distance between the two vehicles. Just before 11 a.m., the Progress will be commanded to deorbit, causing it to burn up as it reenters the Earth's atmosphere.

Today the Expedition One crew will review its plans for joint operations with Atlantis' crew following docking Friday morning, perform some basic housekeeping tasks, and enjoy a regularly-scheduled exercise session.

Atlantis' crew will conduct a series of interviews with media representatives just after 4 p.m. this afternoon. The first Mission Status Briefing of the flight is planned for 5:30 p.m. on NASA Television.

More than two thousand miles ahead, the three-member space station crew -- passing their 100th day in space - watched early this morning as ground controllers commanded a Progress cargo craft to undock from the outpost, clearing the way for Atlantis' arrival. A few hours after the undocking, the Progress craft, filled with trash, descended into the atmosphere and was destroyed. Atlantis is planned to dock with the station at about 10:50 a.m. Central Friday.

Aboard Atlantis, astronauts Tom Jones and Bob Curbeam checked out the spacesuits they will wear for three spacewalks during the next week to finalize connections between the new laboratory and the station. The crew found the suits in good shape, but noted a preliminary indication of a possible oxygen tank leak in a third, spare spacesuit aboard the shuttle. Later, more precise checks of the spare suit showed that the preliminary finding was likely false. The spare suit is usable as well if needed. As suit checks were conducted on the lower deck of Atlantis, on the upper deck Astronaut Marsha Ivins powered up the shuttle's robotic arm and surveyed the cargo bay, finding everything in good shape. The arm will be used to lift the Destiny lab out of the shuttle bay on Saturday and maneuver it into position to attach to the station. Ivins also checked alignment aids and cameras that she will use to precisely maneuver the 28-foot long module.

Periodically, Commander Ken Cockrell and Polansky fired Atlantis' thrusters to adjust the rate at which the shuttle is closing in on the International Space Station, maintaining a course toward Friday's docking. At present, Atlantis is about 950 statute miles behind the station, moving about 110 miles closer with each orbit of Earth. Atlantis is in a 227 by 192 statute mile orbit. The International Space Station is in a 229 by 214 statute mile orbit. Atlantis and the station crew will go to sleep at 8:13 p.m. Central today. Atlantis' crew will awaken at 4:13 a.m. Friday, and the station crew will awaken at 4:43 a.m.

Both spacecraft are in excellent condition, ready for tomorrow's combined activities. The final phase of the rendezvous will begin with a terminal intercept engine firing by Atlantis at 8:24 a.m. Central, when the shuttle is about nine statute miles behind the station. Cockrell will take manual control of Atlantis' approach to the station at about 9:45 a.m., about a half-mile from the complex. After the 10:50 a.m. docking, the two crews will perform leak checks and open hatches between the spacecraft at 12:43 p.m.

With the U.S. Laboratory Destiny operating in excellent shape as the newest addition to the International Space Station, Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones began to perform a series of procedures which will lead to the firing of the Shuttle's braking rockets late this morning to begin their hour-long reentry back to Earth.

There are two landing opportunities available today for Atlantis' return to Florida. The first begins with a deorbit firing of the Shuttle's orbital maneuvering system engines on Orbit 169 at 10:47 a.m. Central time, culminating in a landing at 11:53 a.m. Central time on Runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center. A backup opportunity one orbit later starts with a deorbit burn at 12:22 p.m., resulting in a 1:28 p.m. Central time landing. Weather forecasts for today are generally favorable with flight controllers watching the possibility of gusty winds in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Cape. The backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, California was not called up for landing support today, but likely would be activated for backup landing support Monday if Atlantis' landing is blocked by the weather.

A landing on the first opportunity of the day would wrap up a journey of 4.4 million miles for the astronauts and the first Shuttle mission of the year.

Atlantis' astronauts begin their deorbit preparations at 6:50 a.m. today, configuring computers for reentry, deactivating the galley and installing seats on the flight deck and middeck. The payload bay doors should be closed at 8:07 a.m., and a final "go-no go" decision for the deorbit burn from Entry Flight Director Leroy Cain is expected about 10:30 a.m.

When Atlantis' astronauts were awakened at 3:43 a.m. today, they were approximately 408 statute miles in front of the International Space Station. On board the Station, Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev will relax today as they enjoy another day of light activities. The Expedition One crew began its day at Midnight this morning and will go to sleep about 3:30 p.m. This is the 110th day in space for the Expedition One crew and its 108th day aboard the orbiting outpost.

Atlantis continues to orbit the Earth in excellent shape at an altitude of 237 statute miles as its astronauts gear up for landing.

Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones were ordered to stay in orbit for an extra day after Entry Flight Director LeRoy Cain concluded that crosswinds at the 3-mile long Shuttle Landing Facility were out of limits despite crystal clear skies. Atlantis' crew had only two opportunities today in which to return to Earth.

The astronauts closed the Shuttle's cargo bay doors just after 8 a.m. Central time this morning as Cain and his team of flight controllers closely monitored the winds in Florida. Chief Astronaut Charlie Precourt provided real-time observations as he flew the Shuttle Training Aircraft over the landing strip, a Gulfstream jet modified to mimic the landing characteristics of Atlantis.

Throughout the morning, winds were observed to be gusting in excess of the 15 knot crosswind limit for a daytime landing, and at 11:47 a.m. Central time, Cain called off today's landing efforts. Word of the waveoff was radioed up to Cockrell by Spacecraft Communicator Scott Altman in Mission Control.

Atlantis will have two opportunities again tomorrow in which to land at the Kennedy Space Center. The first, on orbit 185, calls for a firing of Atlantis' braking rockets at 11:21 a.m. Central time with a landing on KSC's Shuttle runway at 12:27 p.m. Central time. Atlantis' cargo bay doors would be closed at around 8:40 a.m. Monday in preparation for that first landing opportunity. A backup opportunity is also available on the following orbit, with a deorbit firing of the orbital maneuvering system engines at 12:57 p.m. Central time and a landing at 2:03 p.m. Central time. The weather forecast for the Cape tomorrow is promising, with only scattered clouds, a possibility of one deck of broken clouds, and somewhat lighter winds which are predicted to be acceptable for landing.

The backup landing site at California's Edwards Air Force Base is forecast to have unacceptable weather, with broken clouds, high winds and a chance of showers.

Shortly after today's landing attempts were called off, Atlantis' astronauts reopened the Shuttle's payload bay doors and removed their launch and entry suits to begin their bonus day in space. The astronauts will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 7:43 p.m. Central time tonight and will be awakened at 3:43 a.m. Monday to begin their pre-landing preparations.

Atlantis continues to orbit the Earth in excellent shape, completing an orbit of the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of 237 statute miles.

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev spent a relaxing day off aboard the orbital outpost and will enjoy an off-duty day again on Monday.

Atlantis has two opportunities today for a landing at the Kennedy Space Center. The first, on orbit 185, calls for a firing of Atlantis' braking rockets at 11:21 a.m. Central time with a landing on KSC's Shuttle runway 3-3 at 12:27 p.m. Central time. Atlantis' cargo bay doors would be closed at around 8:40 a.m. this morning in preparation for that first landing opportunity. A backup opportunity is also available on the following orbit, with a deorbit firing of the orbital maneuvering system engines at 12:57 p.m. Central time and a landing at 2:03 p.m. Central time. There are also two landing opportunities on the following orbits at the backup landing site for Atlantis at California's Edwards Air Force Base, which was activated for landing support. But gusty winds, low clouds and the chance of rain showers both today and tomorrow make Edwards a highly unlikely possibility for flight controllers to consider.

Entry Flight Director LeRoy Cain will receive weather updates throughout the day from the Spaceflight Meteorology Group here at the Johnson Space Center and Chief Astronaut Charlie Precourt, who will be flying weather reconnaissance at the landing strip in a training jet modified to mimic the Shuttle's landing characteristics. A final "go-no go" decision for the deorbit burn for the first landing opportunity is expected around 11 a.m. Central time.

Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones were awakened just after 4 a.m. Central time today to prepare once again for landing.

At the time of crew wakeup on board Atlantis, the Shuttle was about 750 statute miles in front of the International Space Station. The Expedition One crewmembers, Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev, are enjoying a final day of light duty in their extended weekend before beginning their work week on Tuesday. That work will include preparations for the undocking, flyaround and redocking of their Soyuz capsule from the aft docking port of the Zvezda module to the nadir docking port of the Zarya module, clearing the way for the arrival of an unmanned Russian Progress resupply ship at the end of the month. The Soyuz relocation procedure is planned for early Saturday morning, U.S. time.

Atlantis continues to orbit the Earth in flawless fashion at an altitude of 235 statute miles.

As was the case on Sunday, flight controllers tried to bring Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones home during two landing opportunities which were available at the Florida spaceport, but winds continued to gust out of limits, higher than the 15- knot crosswind limit permissible for a Shuttle landing. Weather at the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, California was also unacceptable with high winds and rainshowers in the area of the Mojave Desert.

Finally, at 12:13 p.m. Central time, Entry Flight Director LeRoy Cain called off today's landing attempts and directed his team to try to bring Atlantis home on Tuesday to KSC when the forecast calls for slightly improved weather and lighter winds. There are two landing opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday with the first opportunity calling for the firing of Atlantis' braking rockets on orbit 200 at 10:20 a.m. Central time, resulting in a landing at the Cape at 11:27 a.m. Central time. The second opportunity would begin with the deorbit burn maneuver on orbit 201 at 11:56 a.m. Central time and a landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 1:02 p.m. Central time.

Two landing opportunities also are available on the next two orbits at Edwards. The first of the Edwards' opportunities would call for the deorbit burn at 1:27 p.m. Central time and a landing at 2:33 p.m. Central time. The final opportunity of the day on Tuesday for Edwards would involve a deorbit burn at 3:04 p.m. Central time and a landing at 4:09 p.m. Central time. The weather at Edwards is also expected to be better, with a chance of broken cloud decks and lighter winds than were observed today.

Landing support will also be called up for the White Sands Space Harbor at Northrup Strip in New Mexico, which has three landing opportunities available, although all efforts will be made to try to bring Atlantis home in either Florida or California. After reopening Atlantis' cargo bay doors, the astronauts removed their launch and entry suits and will spend the rest of the day relaxing. They are scheduled to begin an eight-hour sleep period at 7:13 p.m. Central time tonight and will be awakened at 3:13 a.m. Tuesday to resume landing preparations.

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev wrapped up an extended weekend in which they relaxed in preparation for a busy week of work which begins Tuesday with the continuing activation of systems in the newly installed Destiny laboratory. The crew will also prepare for the undocking and redocking of its Soyuz vehicle Saturday from the aft end of the Zvezda module to the nadir port of the Zarya module, in anticipation of the arrival of an unmanned Progress resupply ship at the Station at the end of the month.

Atlantis is orbiting the Earth in excellent shape at an altitude of 237 statute miles.

With Commander Ken Cockrell at the controls, Atlantis darted through high clouds over the Mojave Desert test center touch down at 2:33 p.m. Central time on concrete runway 2-2. The landing was the 47th at Edwards to bring the 102nd flight in program history to a close.

Atlantis was diverted to California after broken clouds and precipitation formed over the landing strip at the Kennedy Space Center, preventing Atlantis from returning to the Florida spaceport in the two opportunities which were available today.

Instead, Entry Flight Director LeRoy Cain ordered Atlantis to land 3000 miles to the West at Edwards, where the weather was deemed acceptable for landing. Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones were greeted by high, thin clouds at Edwards, but they posed no problem for Cockrell as he took over manual control of Atlantis a few minutes prior to landing.

The astronauts were scheduled to leave the orbiter about an hour after landing and will spend the night at Edwards before returning to Houston Wednesday afternoon.

After high winds thwarted Atlantis' homecoming Sunday and Monday, Cockrell and Polansky finally fired the ship's braking rockets at 1:27 p.m. Central time for the start of the Shuttle's hour-long descent back to Earth. Thirty-four minutes later, Atlantis and its astronauts reached the fringes of Earth's atmosphere and the first tug of gravity at an altitude of 400,000 feet.

Atlantis soared over the Pacific Ocean and the southern California coast north of Los Angeles, its computers honing in on the desert runway at Edwards. About four minutes before landing, Atlantis heralded its arrival at the landing site with a pair of double sonic booms as it went subsonic. Atlantis kicked up a small cloud of dust as its main gear met the runway and rolled out to a smooth stop as more clouds gathered around the Edwards complex.

Meanwhile, aboard the International Space Station, Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev spent the day activating additional systems in the recently delivered Destiny Laboratory and began preparations for Saturday's undocking and redocking of their Soyuz capsule from the aft docking port of the Zvezda module to the Earthward facing docking port of the Zarya module.

That relocation maneuver, which is scheduled to begin just after 4 a.m. Central time Saturday, will clear the Zvezda docking port for the arrival of an unmanned Progress resupply craft next week, delivering supplies for the next Expedition crew which will be launched on the Shuttle Discovery on March 8 on the STS-102 mission.

Atlantis' astronauts are scheduled to return to Houston Wednesday afternoon for a welcome home ceremony at Hangar 990 at Ellington Field near the Johnson Space Center at around 3:30 p.m. Central time.

The Kennedy Space Center remains the primary target for today's landing, with two opportunities to bring Atlantis and its crew home. The initial forecast for today shows generally acceptable conditions for landing, with a slight concern for some clouds produced by offshore sea breeze and possible crosswinds at the three-mile long landing strip. The first opportunity for the day would call for a deorbit burn at 10:21 a.m. Central time, resulting in a landing at 11:27 a.m. Central time. The second opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn at 11:56 a.m. Central time with a landing at 1:02 p.m.

Landing opportunities are also available on the following two orbits at the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Weather conditions on the West Coast are marginal, however, with the possibility of rain within 30 miles of the landing site. The first of the Edwards' opportunities would call for the deorbit burn at 1:27 p.m. Central time and a landing at 2:33 p.m. The final opportunity of the day to Edwards would involve a deorbit burn at 3:04 p.m. and a landing at 4:09 p.m.

The White Sands Space Harbor at Northrup Strip in New Mexico has three landing opportunities available as well, and may be considered as a possible landing site, although all efforts will focus on returning Atlantis either to Florida or California. Entry Flight Director LeRoy Cain intends to employ the three best opportunities of the day in an effort to bring the two-week flight to a close.

Atlantis has enough propellent and consumables to stay aloft until at least Wednesday, if necessary.

The STS-98 astronauts - Ken Cockrell, Mark Polansky, Bob Curbeam, Marsha Ivins and Tom Jones - were awakened at 3:13 a.m. to the sounds of "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the Clash, as they prepared for their return trip to Earth.

Aboard the International Space Station, now about 1,100 miles behind Atlantis, Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, Pilot Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev started a busy work week today preparing for Saturday's relocation of their Soyuz vehicle. The crewmembers will deactivate key ISS systems early Saturday morning, then climb into their pressure suits to board the Soyuz capsule for a 40-minute maneuver in which the Soyuz will be undocked from its current location on the aft end of the Zvezda module and redocked to the nadir port of the Zarya module. That will make room for a Progress resupply vehicle due to arrive later this month.

All systems on board Atlantis are performing well and ready to support today's landing efforts as the orbiter continues to circle the Earth at an altitude of 237 statute miles.