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What Goes Up Must Come Down — Space Shuttle Shoves Off

Some amazing photos as the space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew departed the Space Station with a scheduled return to Earth on Friday after a 16-day mission. There are two landing opportunities at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:48 a.m. and 12:23 p.m. EDT. NASA will evaluate weather conditions at Kennedy before permitting Endeavour and its crew to land. If weather prevents a return to Kennedy on Friday, the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California will be activated Saturday for consideration as well.

Shuttle shoving off Backdropped by a blue and white Earth, this image taken by the Expedition 20 crew shows Endeavour shortly after the shuttle and station began their post-undocking separation on July 28, 2009. Image Credit: NASA

Approximately two hours after landing, NASA officials will hold a media briefing to discuss the mission. The participants will be:
  • Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington
  • Keiji Tachikawa, president, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
  • Benoit Marcotte, director genenal, operations, Canadian Space Agency
  • Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager
  • Pete Nickolenko, STS-127 launch director

After touchdown in Florida, the astronauts will undergo physical examinations and meet with their families. The crew is expected to hold a news conference at approximately 3:15 p.m. Both news events will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency’s Web site.