Page 143 of Atmosphere

“Go.”

“PROP?”

“Go.”

“GNC?”

“Go.”

“RMU?”

“Go.”

“EECOM?”

“Go.”

“FAO?”

“Go.”

“DPS?”

“Go.”

“INCO?”

“We’re go.”

“Booster?”

“We are go.”

“Surgeon?”

“Go.”

Jack nods at Joan. “They have a go for the deorbit burn.”

“Navigator,this is Houston,” Joan says. “You are a go for the deorbit burn.”

“Copy that,” Vanessa says. “Go for the deorbit burn.”

Everyone in Mission Control—on the floor, in the director’s suite, in the theater behind them—watches the telemetry with a sense of unease.

First, Vanessa needs to getNavigatorinto the proper position. She needs to fly it upside down and backward, with her tail pointed in the direction she wants to go.

Barely a breath can be heard as all of Mission Control watches the data on the screens.

The orbiter slowly moves into place.

“Flight, PROP. We’ve got a good config for the burn.”

There’s a collective exhalation.

Joan: “Navigator,we’ve got a good config for the deorbit burn.”

“Roger, Houston. Good config for the burn.”

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