[sarex] Endeavour Crew Returns Home After Successful Mission

[Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR]]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Endeavour and its crew are home
after completing a 13-day journey of more than 5.2 million miles in
space. Endeavour's STS-118 mission successfully added another truss
segment, a new gyroscope and external spare parts platform to the
International Space Station.

Endeavour's Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charlie Hobaugh and mission
specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Barbara R. Morgan, Alvin
Drew and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams landed at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday at 12:32 p.m. EDT.

Williams, Mastracchio and station flight engineer Clayton Anderson, with
the help of their crewmates, made four spacewalks to accomplish the
construction tasks. The spacewalkers also completed work in preparation
for upcoming assembly missions, such as relocating an equipment cart and
installing support equipment and communication upgrades.

During the mission, a new system that enables docked shuttles to draw
electrical power from the station to extend visits to the outpost was
activated successfully. Because the system worked, two additional days
were added to Endeavour's mission.

STS-118 was the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the
station, the 20th flight for Endeavour and the second of four missions
planned for 2007.

Although managers addressed several issues with Endeavour's heat shield,
including a small gouge in the protective tile on the orbiter's belly,
inspections in orbit revealed no critical damage. Endeavour's thermal
protection system was declared safe for re-entry on Monday. The orbiter
will be processed immediately for its next flight, targeted for February
2008.

With Endeavour and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the next
phase of International Space Station assembly. Preparations continue for
space shuttle Discovery's scheduled launch in October of the STS-120
mission to deliver the pressurized Node 2 connecting module to the
station.

For more on the STS-118 mission and the upcoming STS-120 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle