SS C - 2 ), ▁into ▁a ▁low ▁Earth ▁orbit ▁at ▁around ▁ 3 6 0   km , ▁from ▁inside ▁a ▁spring ▁e jection ▁can ister ▁in ▁the ▁sh utt le ' s ▁payload ▁bay . ▁The ▁p icos at ellite ▁relay ed ▁data ▁back ▁on ▁the ▁performance ▁of ▁its ▁solar ▁cells , ▁which ▁were ▁based ▁on ▁new ▁technology ▁intended ▁for ▁use ▁on ▁future ▁sat ell ites . ▁P SS C - 2 , ▁which ▁was ▁deployed ▁at ▁ 7 : 5 4 ▁UTC , ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 8 0 th ▁and ▁final ▁payload ▁deployed ▁by ▁a ▁Space ▁Sh utt le . ▁Short ly ▁after , ▁C AP COM ▁astr onaut ▁Barry ▁Wil more ▁con gr at ulated ▁the ▁crew ▁from ▁the ▁ground ▁on ▁the ▁successful ▁deployment . ▁Mission ▁special ist ▁R ex ▁Wal heim ▁marked ▁the ▁mil estone ▁by ▁rec iting ▁an ▁original ▁poem . ▁" Out standing , ▁R ex , ▁we ▁app la ud ▁you ," ▁Wil more ▁said ▁amid ▁che ers ▁from ▁the ▁Houston ▁Fl ight ▁Control ▁Room . ▁ ▁The ▁crew ▁also ▁participated ▁in ▁one ▁last ▁round ▁of ▁inter views ▁with ▁rep or ters ▁on ▁the ▁ground . ▁At ▁ 8 : 4 4 ▁UTC , ▁the ▁crew ▁talked ▁with ▁ABC ▁News , ▁CBS ▁News , ▁CNN , ▁Fox ▁News , ▁and ▁N BC ▁News . ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁the ▁day , ▁the ▁crew ▁finished ▁their ▁final ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁Atl ant is ' s ▁planned ▁landing . ▁Commander ▁Fer g us on ▁and ▁Pil ot