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`Atlantis' poised to return home

The US space shuttle Atlantis was poised to leave the International Space Station (ISS) yesterday after a nine-day visit that gave the laboratory a European annex -- and a French scientist to bolster its crew.

After an emotional farewell in orbit, seven Atlantis crew mem-bers closed the hatches on Sunday in preparation for yesterday's early morning undocking scheduled for 0927 GMT.

Hitching a ride home aboard Atlantis will be American Daniel Tani, a master spacewalker and operator of robotic arms, who is returning to Earth after working on the ISS since October.

But the spaceship is leaving behind Frenchman Leopold Eyharts, a medical researcher and engineer from France's National Center of Space Studies.

He earned his stripes 10 years ago, working for more than 20 days aboard the now-defunct Russian Space Station Mir. He performed experiments in the areas of medical research, neuroscience, biology, fluid physics and technology.

Eyharts will stay aboard the station until next month, getting the newly installed European-made Columbus laboratory -- a new facility delivered into orbit by Atlantis -- up to speed.

"We are incredibly excited to see it right on our left over there -- with the lights on and ready for action," Steve Frick, the shuttle commander, told reporters in a final briefing before departure.

Eyharts paid tribute to Tani, calling him "a great guy."

"I have been really impressed by the experience he acquired here at the space station," Eyharts said. "It was really a pleasure and honor to receive a handover from him."

Attached to the station this month, Columbus is Europe's largest contribution to the orbiting complex that up to now had been largely a preserve for Americans and Russians.

Measuring 7m long and 4.5m in diameter, the module will house experiments in life sciences, materials science, fluid physics and other disciplines, adding a new dimension to the station's mission and giving it a more international profile, US space officials said.

During Atlantis' stay at the station, astronauts conducted three spacewalks to attach Columbus to the ISS and prepare it for scientific work.

They also replaced an expended nitrogen tank on a key truss aboard the complex.

Reflecting on the past and future of the station, Tani said it represented a vivid example of how international relations had switched from confrontation to cooperation since World War II and the Cold War.

"I have spent time with men from France, from Italy, and from Germany and from Russia," the departing astronaut said. "Nations that had not always been friendly are now cooperating, and we are doing great things."

If everything goes as planned, Atlantis will land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida tomorrow.
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