U.S. Shuttle Endeavour leaves space station for home

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station at 9:47 a.m. EST (1447 GMT) on Friday, wrapping up a 12-day operation, according to NASA TV.

As a tradition, space station commander Mike Fincke rang a bell and said "Endeavour departing." NASA mission control in Houston has confirmed the "physical separation" between the two spacecraft.


The Space Shuttle Endeavour is seen with the earth in the background after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) in this Nov. 28, 2008 image from NASA TV. Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station at 9:47 a.m. EST (1447 GMT) on Friday, wrapping up a 12-day operation, according to NASA TV. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


After Pilot Eric Boe backs the orbiter 450 feet (about 137 meters) from the station, he was to perform a full fly-around to allow crew members to collect video and imagery of the orbiting station. He was to perform the final separation engine burn at 12:15 a.m. EST (1715 GMT) to begin the trip home.

Later in the day, the crew was to use the shuttle robot arm and the 50-foot (15 meters) long Orbiter Boom Sensor System to conduct an inspection of the shuttle's thermal protection system.

Endeavour arrived at the station on Nov. 16. The mission, designated STS-126, delivered a series of supplies and equipment necessary to double the station's crew size from three to six by spring next year.


The Space Shuttle Endeavour is seen, with the earth in the background and part of the International Space Station in the foreground, after undocking from the ISS in this view from NASA TV Nov. 28, 2008.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


The new facilities now on the station include two sleeping quarters, a second toilet, a resistance exercise device and a water purification system that can turn urine and waste water into drinking water.

During Endeavour's stay, astronauts carried out four space walks, servicing the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints that allow its solar arrays to track the sun.

Endeavour also delivered a new station crew member, Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus. Magnus replaced astronaut Greg Chamitoff, who returned to Earth aboard the shuttle.

Endeavour was scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:19 p.m. EST (1819 GMT) on Sunday.