WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station at 9:47 a.m. EST (1447 GMT) on Friday, wrapping up a 12-day operation, according to NASA TV.

    As a tradition, space station commander Mike Fincke rang a bell and said "Endeavour departing." NASA mission control in Houston has confirmed the "physical separation" between the two spacecraft.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is seen with the earth in the background after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) in this Nov. 28, 2008 image from NASA TV. Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station at 9:47 a.m. EST (1447 GMT) on Friday, wrapping up a 12-day operation, according to NASA TV. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    After Pilot Eric Boe backs the orbiter 450 feet (about 137 meters) from the station, he was to perform a full fly-around to allow crew members to collect video and imagery of the orbiting station. He was to perform the final separation engine burn at 12:15 a.m. EST (1715 GMT) to begin the trip home.

    Later in the day, the crew was to use the shuttle robot arm and the 50-foot (15 meters) long Orbiter Boom Sensor System to conduct an inspection of the shuttle's thermal protection system.

    Endeavour arrived at the station on Nov. 16. The mission, designated STS-126, delivered a series of supplies and equipment necessary to double the station's crew size from three to six by spring next year.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is seen, with the earth in the background and part of the International Space Station in the foreground, after undocking from the ISS in this view from NASA TV Nov. 28, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The new facilities now on the station include two sleeping quarters, a second toilet, a resistance exercise device and a water purification system that can turn urine and waste water into drinking water.

    During Endeavour's stay, astronauts carried out four space walks, servicing the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints that allow its solar arrays to track the sun.

    Endeavour also delivered a new station crew member, Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus. Magnus replaced astronaut Greg Chamitoff, who returned to Earth aboard the shuttle.

    Endeavour was scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:19 p.m. EST (1819 GMT) on Sunday.

Endeavour astronauts finish final spacewalk

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.

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

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

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