Space Shuttle Endeavour Undocks from International Space Station

The crew of space shuttle Endeavour has left the International Space Station. STS-126 undocked from the station at 9:47 a.m. Friday.

On Thursday, the STS-126 and Expedition 18 crews bid one another farewell, and closed the hatches between the two spacecraft at 7:31 p.m. EST.

STS-126 arrived at the station Nov. 16, delivering equipment that will help allow the station to double its crew size to six. The gear included two sleep stations, a new galley, a water recovery system and an advanced resistive exercise device. Astronauts also performed four spacewalks. Among their accomplishments were cleaning, lubricating and installing new bearing assemblies on the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint.

In addition, the STS-126 astronauts delivered Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus, who replaced Greg Chamitoff, now a mission specialist returning to Earth aboard Endeavour.

Endeavour is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Sunday at 1:19 p.m.