NASA STS-124 Report #23 5:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – After almost nine days of flying together, the space shuttle Discovery and International Space Station have parted ways.

Pilot Ken Ham backed Discovery away from the station at 6:42 a.m. and proceeded to fly around the 330-ton complex. The shuttle crew members then captured video and still photos of their construction site, including the Japanese Kibo laboratory.

The shuttle crew conducted the late inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield using the orbiter boom sensor system. The surveys began just after 10 a.m. and concluded around 2 p.m. All imagery was sent to Mission Control for experts to review by 2:49 p.m.

Imagery experts are expected to give their final report about the health of Discovery’s heat shield to the Mission Management Team Friday.

Now working on different schedules, the station crew went to sleep at 4:30 p.m. and the shuttle crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period at 6:32 p.m.

The station crew is scheduled to awaken at 1 a.m. Thursday, while Discovery’s wakeup call is due at 2:32 a.m.

The next status report will be issued at the beginning of the crew’s day, or earlier if events warrant.