[sarex] Space Shuttle Endeavour to Undock Today

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Space Shuttle Endeavour to Undock Today *

S118-E-07918 : Hurricane Dean Image above: A still photo close-up of the 
eye of Category 4 Hurricane Dean. Crew members on the Space Shuttle 
Endeavour captured this image around 1 p.m. EDT(1700 UTC) Saturday of 
Hurricane Dean in the Caribbean. Image: NASA

TO VIEW IMAGE GO 
TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to undock from the International 
Space Station shortly before 8 a.m. EDT(1200 UTC) today, ending an 
almost nine-day stay at the orbital outpost for the STS-118 crew.

Undocking was moved up a day in preparation for a possible landing on 
Tuesday. The earlier landing is being considered in the event Hurricane 
Dean threatens the Houston area. It could allow an opportunity for the 
shuttle to land before Mission Control, Houston, would be shut down in 
preparation for a storm.

Mission managers are continuing to monitor the situation and assess 
their options.

Due to the early undocking, the STS-118 crew will not do a fly-around of 
the station.

Endeavour delivered the Starboard 5 (S5) truss segment to the space 
station. The STS-118 crew conducted four spacewalks at the station. The 
two major objectives were the installation of the S5 and the replacement 
of a failed attitude control gyroscope.

Animations: + Endeavour undocking from station 
<javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/Undock.asx')> 
| + Shuttle wings and nose cap survey 
<javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/LateInspection.asx')> 


*Hurricane Dean Information*
On-orbit Hurricane Dean Video: + Real Video 
<http://mfile.akamai.com/18565/rm/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/real.nasa-global/STS-118/Hurricane_Dean.ram> 
| + Windows Media 
<http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/Hurricane_Dean.asx>
+ NASA Hurricane Resource Page 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/main/index.html>