Space Shuttle Endeavour astronaut Steve Bowen works during orbital night with the aid of his helmet light on the Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) in this view from NASA TV Nov. 24, 2008. Bowen and fellow spacewalker Shane Kimbrough are performing the last of the mission's spacewalks with tasks including lubrication of the port solar alpha rotary joint, work on the Kibo laboratory and installation of a video camera. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Two U.S. astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour finished the mission's fourth and final spacewalk on Monday, doing some chores outside the International Space Station, according to NASA TV.

    Most important of all, Mission specialists Steve Bowen and Shane Kimbrough finally completed the cleaning and lube job on the station’s right-side solar array joint. They replaced the final one of the 12 bearings for the massive gear.

    This jammed joint has had limited use since September 2007. The repair work took all of the mission's four spacewalks to complete. "Finally!" Bowen said about 2.5 hours into today's spacewalk when they really wrapped up the tough task. "Thanks for your work," NASA's mission control radioed up, echoing with applause.

    During the spacewalk, the duo also teamed up to remove a multi-layer insulation blanket from Japan's Kibo laboratory. Bowen installed a GPS antennas atop Kibo.

    Kimbrough then moved to the opposite end of the station's truss to lubricate the left-side solar array joint as a preventative maintenance step. The left gear has been working fine, but the spacewalkers reported some slight wear on its surface as they perform the grease job.

    After finishing all of the assigned tasks, they returned safely to the Quest airlock of the station at 7:31 p.m. EST (0031 GMT on Tuesday).

    Earlier on Monday, NASA's mission control decided that Endeavour will spend one extra day docked at the station to allow more time to troubleshoot problems with the station's new water recycle system.

    The recycler was delivered to the station aboard Endeavour. It is designed to process urine and sweat back into drinkable water. Astronauts reported they recorded repeated early shutdowns during the system's test runs, and they are trying to remedy the glitch.

    Now, Endeavour's mission is officially a 16-day mission that will feature a Thanksgiving Day at the space outpost. It will undock with the station and leave for home on Nov. 28.

Endeavour astronauts finish longest spacewalk

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Two astronauts on the U.S. space shuttle Endeavor completed the third and longest spacewalk of the mission Saturday, nearly wrapping up the lube job on the right-side solar panel joint outside the International Space Station, according to NASA TV.

    Spacewalkers Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen reentered the Quest airlock at 7:58 p.m. (0058 GMT Sunday). Their excursion was completely devoted to additional cleaning, lubricating and bearing-replacement of the massive, jammed joint. Full story

Endeavour delivers to space station ENose that can "smell" dangerous chemicals

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour has delivered an instrument to the International Space Station that can "smell" dangerous chemicals in the air, NASA said Wednesday in a mission report.

    Station crew members will unpack the ENose on Dec. 9 to begin asix-month test of the instrument in the crew cabin. If the experiment is successful, the ENose may be used in future space missions as part of an automated system to monitor and control the in-space environment for astronauts, NASA said.  Full story

Endeavour astronauts complete 1st of four spacewalks

Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper on the end of the robot arm is aided by fellow spacewalker Steve Bowen (L) as the pair move a nitrogen tank assembly to the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay for storage in this image from NASA TV Nov. 18, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Two U.S. astronauts from the shuttle Endeavor partially cleaned and lubed a solar panel on the space station Tuesday during the first of four planned space walks.

    Mission Specialists Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen stepped outside the orbital outpost at 1:09 p.m. EST (1809 GMT) and wrapped up their work at 8:01 p.m. EST. Full story

U.S. shuttle Endeavour docks with space station

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is seen docked to the International Space Station with the Earth in the background in this image from NASA TV November 16, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- After a nearly-two-day pursuit, the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour arrived at the International Space Station and docked with it at 5:01 p.m. EDT (2201 GMT) on Sunday, according to NASA TV.

    The space linkup occurred under the shroud of darkness as both spacecraft passed over the Earth's night side. Commander Christopher Ferguson was at the controls of space shuttle Endeavour docking to the station's Harmony Node. Full story