Endeavour's crew of six has completed successful tests of the thrusters and steering systems that will be needed for Sunday evening's planned re-entry through Earth's atmosphere. But weather could keep the crew in orbit another day.
If showers and low clouds materialize over Kennedy Space Center as forecasted, they would violate NASA's landing rules. Similar conditions could pose problems at Edwards Air Force Base in California, which NASA has activated as a backup landing site.
Conditions on Monday are expected to worsen at KSC but improve at Edwards.
To preserve options for Monday, mission managers decided postpone a thruster burn to adjust Endeavour's orbit, saving propellant. That decision pushed back slightly the times for the first landing opportunities late Sunday and early Monday.
The opportunities at KSC are now at 10:20 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. Sunday, after the mission's 217th and 218th orbits, respectively. Two more chances follow early Monday at Edwards on subsequent orbits, at 1:25 a.m. and 3 a.m. EST.
Endeavour's mission already was extended a day, to 14 days, so the crew could get more work done outfitting the International Space Station's new Tranquility module.
In a media interview tonight broadcast on NASA TV, crew members said they wouldn't mind taking in the views from space for another day if necessary, in what is likely the last shuttle mission for each of them.
"Absolutely," said Endeavour commander George Zamka. "Any time we get to spend up on the flight deck, especially now that we have a really clear view, we just look outside and just marvel at creation below us. You get variations in cloud patterns and hues, and every once in a while something stark comes into view, either a desert or a mountain range. If we end up spending some extra time up here, we'll have something to do."
Said mission specialist Kay Hire: "We're all just really excited about how well things have gone, and very pleased to be here in space."
A mission status briefing coming up at 1:45 a.m. EST should further update the weather outlook and landing plans.
You can watch it live here. Just click on the NASA TV box on the right side of the page to launch a video player.
Endeavour's crew plans to go to sleep at 6:14 a.m. Sunday and awake at 2:14 p.m.
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