Astronauts prepare for Wednesday's shuttle return
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Astronauts worked to outfit Europe's  new permanent space laboratory on Saturday as a busy visit by  NASA's shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station  neared its end.
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The Atlantis crew of seven examined the shuttle&#39;s heat shield one last time in preparation for returning to Earth, after a successful two-week mission to the International Space Station.
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A Canadian and an American astronaut prepared for a second spacewalk set for Wednesday to continue setting up the first addition to the International Space Station in nearly four years.
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By MIKE SCHNEIDER HOUSTON - Hours after undocking from the international space station Tuesday, Atlantis' seven astronauts began a final inspection of the space shuttle to make sure its heat shield was ready to re-enter Earth's atmosphere.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - The shuttle Atlantis astronauts moved spacesuits onto the International Space Station and packed up old equipment to bring home on Sunday, while scientists prepared for the first experiments in Europe's new Columbus laboratory.
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Separated from the international space station Saturday, their heat shielding inspected one last time for damage and all their goals accomplished, the astronauts of the space shuttle Discovery were ready to come home.
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Final preparations were underway Monday at Florida's Kennedy Space Center for the long-awaited launch Wednesday of the space shuttle Atlantis.
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HOUSTON - Seven astronauts are eagerly preparing for a busy construction flight to the International Space Station (ISS), with just over one month remaining until their planned launch aboard NASA&#39;s shuttle Discovery.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - The seven-man crew assigned to the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis' upcoming mission to the International Space Station arrived at the Kennedy Space Center on Monday in preparation for Friday's planned liftoff.
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Astronauts prepared on Sunday for a  lengthy inspection of space shuttle Discovery's heat shield for  possible damage following Saturday's night-time launch, the  first since space shuttle Columbia's destruction in 2003.
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Astronauts spent Sunday preparing for  an extra spacewalk to free a stuck solar array on the  International Space Station and unloading supplies brought up  by the shuttle Discovery.
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By Mike Schneider  Instead of enjoying a relaxing day at the international space station, the space shuttle Discovery's seven astronauts prepared Sunday for an unplanned, fourth spacewalk to get a stubborn, half- retracted solar array to fold up.
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Astronauts on the shuttle Atlantis   packed up gear and checked out their spacecraft on Tuesday as   they prepared to come home from their 11-day mission to the   International Space Station.
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Weather conditions were looking good for the Atlantis space shuttle and its seven crew to return to Earth on Wednesday, NASA officials said Tuesday.
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By SETH BORENSTEIN  HOUSTON - Space became a tad more crowded Monday morning, but the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis prepared to ease that congestion and go home after one last inspection of its critical heat shield.
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Astronauts get set to leave the shuttle Atlantis to attach new solar panels to the International Space Station.
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Astronauts on space shuttle Atlantis prepared for a walk in space on Monday to add a giant new piece to the International Space Station, and NASA engineers pondered whether a bump in the ship's heat protection system needs repair.