The shuttle left the ISS today at 6:57 a.m. EDT, a day early to allow an early return to Kennedy Space Center in case Johnson Space Center employees had to evacuate at the approach of Hurricane Dean.
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A Tuesday landing is scheduled at Kennedy Space Center to allow Johnson Space Center the option of closing before Hurricane Dean bears down on the Texas coast. The landing attempt will be 12:29 p.m. Tuesday at KSC. A second would come at 2:04 p.m., also at KSC. Thunderstorms could prevent a Tuesday landing at KSC, moving the touchdown to California.
The shuttle is in its 11th day in space. Endeavour winds up a stay of almost nine days at the space station. The mission was shortened by a day after being extended by three days, due to the perfect functioning of a $68 million power transfer system that allowed the shuttle to use power from the space station and conserve its fuel cells.
Astronauts performed four spacewalks, adding a strut the space station, replacing a failed gyroscope and performing many construction tasks.
National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday at KSC: "Partly sunny with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. East winds 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent."
Click here to see a fact sheet on the STS-118 mission.
Click here to see a schedule of landing opportunities..
Click here for the latest NASA-TV schedule.
Click here for the flight day 12 updated execute package.
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