CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—The shuttle Atlantis astronauts moved spacesuits onto the International Space Station and packed up old equipment to bring home Sunday, while scientists prepared for the first experiments in Europe's new Columbus laboratory.
The shuttle, which arrived at the station eight days ago to deliver Europe's first permanent space laboratory, was scheduled to depart on Monday. Hatches between the two ships were due to be sealed Sunday afternoon.
French astronaut Leopold Eyharts, who traveled aboard Atlantis, will remain on the station to oversee Columbus' operations. He previously spent three weeks on the Russian Mir space station.
Eyharts replaces NASA astronaut Dan Tani, whose planned two-month stay on the station doubled when Atlantis' launch was delayed by fuel sensor problems.
"I can't wait to get back and see everybody," Tani radioed to Mission Control in Houston on Sunday.
Eyharts will return home with the next shuttle crew, scheduled to launch March 11.
Endeavour will deliver the first part of a huge laboratory complex built by Japan, called Kibo. NASA plans to move the shuttle to the launch pad on Monday.
Atlantis' stay at the station was extended by two days, first by an astronaut's illness and later to have more time for setting up Columbus. Now, NASA is under pressure to get the crew home.
The military plans to shoot down a failed spy satellite that it says poses a threat to public safety because of its load of toxic rocket fuel. By destroying the satellite before its tumbles on its own into the atmosphere, the military hopes to time its breakup so that debris falls into the ocean with no threat to populated areas.
To avoid debris impacts to Atlantis as it re-enters the atmosphere, the military will postpone the operation until the shuttle lands. NASA is preparing both its prime landing site in Florida and backup runways in California Wednesday to clear the skies for the satellite shot.
NASA and the military say the space station, which orbits more than 200 miles above Earth, is not in any danger from satellite debris.
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