Thank You and Goodbye. With the huge internal tank which has been used to supply fuel to the shuttles three main engines now fully depleted, the Pilot of the shuttle, working from the mission specialist position at the rear of the shuttles flight deck, flicks the appropriate switch on the fuel tank control panel to open the four locking clamps which hold the huge tank in place at the rear of the shuttle�s cargo bay. As the four green lights which indicate that the clamps are open become illuminated, the pilot depresses a red button on the tank control panel which sends a blast of compressed gas against the underside of the now depleted tank pushing the tank outward and away from the shuttle�s cargo bay toward the Earth far below. Within a few short minutes the tank will re-enter the atmosphere and burn up in a spectacular light show which will be witnessed by the shuttle�s two person crew before they move on to the next phase of the test flight.