Mission managers announced Monday that Space Shuttle Endeavour is cleared for landing. The decision came after a thorough review of imagery and data collected during late inspection of the orbiter on Sunday. In space, the seven-member STS-118 crew prepared for its return to Earth aboard Endeavour after a successful stay at the International Space Station.
The crew completed tests Monday morning of Endeavour's systems and engines that will be used for re-entry and landing. Other preparations included stowing equipment and a 30-minute deorbit briefing. The crew also had some off-duty time to prepare for Tuesday's landing opportunities.
In other activities on Monday, crew members took time out of their schedule at 11:46 a.m. EDT to field questions from Canadian schoolchildren from the La Ronge, Saskatchewan, area.
Endeavour's first landing opportunity on Tuesday is at 12:32 p.m. at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., with the deorbit burn occurring at 11:25 a.m. A second opportunity is available at the Florida spaceport at 2:06 p.m. The deorbit burn would occur at 1 p.m.
Edwards Air Force Base in California and the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico will not be activated Tuesday as possible landing sites.
Meanwhile, mission managers continue to monitor Hurricane Dean as it moves westward in the Caribbean Sea.
The STS-118 crew members spent almost nine days at the international outpost. They continued the on-orbit construction of the station and transferred tons of cargo between the two spacecraft. The STS-118 crew conducted four spacewalks at the station. The two major objectives were the installation of the S5 and the replacement of a failed attitude control gyroscope.
