Space Shuttle Crew Set To Return To Earth Friday

Space Shuttle Crew Set To Return To Earth Friday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew are scheduled to 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. For recorded updates about landing, call 321-867-2525. 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. The Kennedy news center will open for landing activities at 7 a.m. Friday and close at 7 p.m., or one hour after the last media event. STS-127 media badges are in effect through landing.

The media accreditation building on State Road 3 will be open Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The last bus will depart from the news center for the Shuttle Landing Facility one hour before landing.

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