In this image from NASA TV the Space Shuttle Atlantis is seen with the earth's horizon in the background and a Soyuz spacecraft and the International Space Station in the foreground after undocking from the orbiting laboratory November 25, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- After seven days together in orbit, U.S. space shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station on Wednesday.

    According to NASA, the undocking took place at 4:53 a.m. EDT (0953 GMT). Pilot Barry Wilmore then circled the space station before firing the shuttle's thrusters twice at 1104 and 1132 GMT to leave the vicinity.

    The shuttle moved away at 1.5 feet (0.46 meters) per second or about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) per orbit, according to NASA.

    Space station flight engineer Nicole Stott joined the six Atlantis astronauts for the return trip home.

    "Thank you for a great mission," Jeffrey Williams, commander of the station, radioed to Stott as the shuttle prepared to leave. "Bon voyage."

    Atlantis lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 16 and is due to landing at Kennedy Space Center on Friday. During its mission, astronauts wrapped up three spacewalks to install antennas, science experiments, cargo mounts and other tasks.

    Atlantis' STS-129 mission is NASA's fifth and last shuttle mission for 2009. There are just five more shuttle launches scheduled before the planned September 2010 retirement of the space shuttle fleet.

Astronauts (L-R) Space Shuttle Atlantis Commander Charlie Hobaugh, Nicole Stott, Jeffrey Williams, and Barry E. Wilmore, STS-129 pilot, pose for a photo in the Unity node of the International Space Station while the shuttle remains docked with the station in this photo released by NASA and taken November 22, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Atlantis astronauts complete third spacewalk of mission

Spacewalkers Robert L. Satcher, Jr. (L) and Randy Bresnik work side by side during their spacewalk outside the International Space Station in this image from NASA TV November 23, 2009. The spacewalkers are slated to transfer an oxygen filled High Pressure Gas Tank (HPGT) from the EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 2, located on the starboard truss, to a spot on the outside of the Quest Airlock. The tank will be used to replenish atmosphere lost when spacewalkers enter and exit the station. They will also install the seventh Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE 7, which has the capability to use power from the ISS to transmit experiment data directly to Earth.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. astronauts Randolph Bresnik and Robert Satcher Jr. completed a five hour, 42 minute spacewalk at 2:06 p.m. EST (1906 GMT) on Monday, which is the third and final spacewalk for space shuttle Atlantis's STS-129 mission, NASA said.

    During the spacewalk, the pair transferred an oxygen filled High Pressure Gas Tank (HPGT) from the EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 2,located on the starboard truss, to a spot on the outside of the Quest Airlock. The tank, which measures 5 feet by 6.2 feet by 4.5 feet and weights approximately 1,240 pounds, will be used to replenish atmosphere lost when spacewalkers enter and exit the station.  Full story

Atlantis astronauts complete second spacewalk of mission

In this image from NASA TV Space Shuttle Atlantis mission specialist Randy Bresnik works outside the International Space Station during the second spacewalk of the STS-129 mission in this view from the helmet camera of fellow spacewalker Mike Foreman November 21, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. astronauts Mike Foreman and Randy Bresnik wrapped up the second space walk for space shuttle Atlantis's STS-129 mission on Saturday, NASA said.

    The start of the space walk, which lasted six hours and eight minutes, was a little later than planned, about 9:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT), because a false depressurization alarm had sounded on the station at 9:53 p.m. Friday (2:53 a.m. GMT Saturday), interrupting the crews' sleep and the space walkers' campout in the Quest airlock. The space walkers completed the process of reducing the nitrogen in their blood by exercising while breathing oxygen. Full story

Two Atlantis astronauts install ISS antenna in first spacewalk

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Two U.S. astronauts conducted the first spacewalk for space shuttle Atlantis and installed an antenna on the International Space Station (ISS) Thursday, NASA said. 

Astronaut Mike Foreman works in the Atlantis' payload bay at the beginning of his spacewalk in this image from NASA TV November 19, 2009. The spacewalkers are slated to perform maintenance tasks outside the station including installing a spare communications antenna, routing cables and lubricating parts of the mobile base system and Kibo robotic arm. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    According to NASA, mission specialists Michael Foreman and Dr. Robert Satcher Jr. began the spacewalk at 9:24 a.m. EDT (1424 GMT),which lasted six hours and 37 minutes. Full story