The Space Shuttle Discovery pulled away from the International Space Station on
Wednesday and began what they thought was the journey home, ending a nine-day
visit highlighted by the installation of a new Japanese lab.
After the shuttle undocked, pilot Ken Ham backed Discovery away and guided it
around the space station so the crew could take pictures.
Their
expected Saturday return will need to be rescheduled for Sunday after newest
crewman Gregory Chamitoff misplaced his cell phone. "Dude. We gotta
go back. I forgot my phone." Chamitoff told mission commander Mark Kelly.
"I told
them 'go to the bathroom and make sure you have every thing before we go'"
Commander Mark Kelly told the space shuttle crew before leaving. "Of
course does Greg follow orders? No. He just shouts 'Shotgun!' and
jumps in the shuttle".
Before
leaving the International Space Station for a second time, Kelly stated
"We didn't train for 18 months and travel hundreds of thousands of miles to be
subjected to this level of unprofessionalism. I have been in the Space
Program for more than 16 years and I have never seen this level of incompetence
and what's more troubling, a lack of focus. The smallest mistakes can mean
damage to million dollar tools or worse, the injury or death of a crewman.
Focus is critical...for..for the...Hey, has anybody seen my keys?"
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