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Shuttle Endeavour to Undock from ISS Friday

   VOA News 19 February 2010
   A  NASA  image  taken  through a first of its kind 'bay window' on the
   International  Space  Station, the seven-windowed Cupola, 17 Feb 2010.
   The image shows the Sahara Desert through the array of windows

Photo: AP

   A  NASA  image  taken  through a first of its kind 'bay window' on the
   International  Space  Station, the seven-windowed Cupola, 17 Feb 2010.
   The image shows the Sahara Desert through the array of windows

   Astronauts  from  the  U.S.  space  shuttle  Endeavour have said their
   farewells  to  the crew of the International Space Station, after more
   than a week on the orbiting outpost.
   The  hatches  between  the  shuttle  and the space station were closed
   early Friday, ahead of Endeavour's departure Friday night.
   Earlier,  the  combined  crews  celebrated  the latest addition to the
   space   station   with   a  ribbon-cutting  ceremony,  dedicating  the
   Tranquility observation deck and its observation dome.  The U.S. space
   agency  NASA  says  the crews left a moon rock that was carried to the
   summit of Mount Everest by a former astronaut.
   Tranquility  and  the  dome  were installed during the current shuttle
   mission.
   The  dome  is  1.5  meters  tall and 3 meters across.  It features six
   trapezoid-shaped windows around one circular center window.
   Space  station commander Jeffrey Williams described the panoramic view
   from  the  $27  million observatory as "absolutely incredible."   NASA
   says  the  Italian-built  structure  will  allow  station personnel to
   monitor future spacewalks.
   Endeavour is scheduled to land Sunday night at Kennedy Space Center in
   Florida.
   Four  more  shuttle  missions  to  the International Space Station are
   planned  before  the end of this year when the U.S. shuttle fleet will
   be retired.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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