SPACE SHUTTLE & INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TO FLY OVER NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS, LA., October 16th, 2002 -- New Orleans residents may be able to see Space Shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station fly over New Orleans Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Chances to see the shuttle and space station are much better Thursday night.
This morning shuttle Atlantis unhooked from the space station to begin its flight home with touch-down scheduled at Kennedy Space Center on Friday morning.
Tonight, Atlantis will approach first at 7:06 p.m. from the North at 11 degrees above the horizon. It will depart to the East-Northeast with the space station right behind it.
Again, Thursday evening will be a much better viewing opportunity. Weather permitting, the shuttle will appear first at around 7:43 p.m. from the North-Northwest at 35 degrees above the horizon and will depart to the East at 68 degrees. (Please see attached sheet.)
The International Space Station will appear a few minutes later at about 7:49 p.m. from the Northwest at 50 degrees and depart to the Southeast at 73 degrees.
For more information about viewing opportunities, go to http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html
Lockheed Martin in New Orleans builds the Space Shuttle External Tank that powers the astronauts into space at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility.
