Shuttle crew make most of long lie

Published on Sunday 17 September 2006 00:58

AFTER three arduous and successful spacewalks and a jam-packed week in orbit, the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis got to sleep in late and take half a day off yesterday - almost like a weekend on Earth.

And the six astronauts relished it - especially the surprise one-hour delay to the morning wake-up call.

"We've been very, very busy so the chance to sleep in was very much appreciated," astronaut Heidimarie Stefanyshyn-Piper said during a news conference from space. When they awoke, it was to the mellow beach-evoking sounds of Jimmy Buffett's 'Twelve Volt Man'.

Astronaut Dan Burbank, whose family sent up the song, called it "a great way to start a day up here in space". Piper said she and her crewmates spent their time off touring the international space station, taking pictures and "getting the opportunity to look out the window".

Astronauts normally get daily down time, but "we haven't used that two-hour block for personal time at all," Commander Brent Jett said. But time-off is important, according to Dr Sean Roden, chief of medical operations for the international space station.

"Orbit operations are similar to high-complexity, task-oriented environments such as commercial aviation or maritime operations," Roden said. "Crew time-off is critical to ensure a safe work environment."

The crew's 11-day mission has been a success, installing a 17-ton addition on the international space station.

The crew were due to haul the last of some gear into and out of the international space station late last night. Atlantis is set to leave the space station today at 12.50pm.