Endeavour Ready for Final Flight Home

Image Credit: NASA

Space shuttle Endeavour will return to Earth for the final time on Wednesday, June 1, completing the 16 day mission to upgrade  the International Space Station.

When Endeavour lands on Wednesday it will have spent 299 days in space and traveled more than 122.8 million miles on 25 flights.

Endeavour Set for Return to Earth - Day 14 Video Recap

The six crew members of space shuttle Endeavour have said farewell to the three Expedition 28 crew members aboard the International Space Station and at 4.38 am EDT (9.38 GMT), Space Shuttle Endeavour fired its jets to complete the final separation from the International Space Station, setting it on its course for return to Earth Wednesday, June 1.

The shuttle's re-rendezvous with the space station for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative-navigation Risk Mitigation, known as 'STORRM', was completed as planned with Commander Mark Kelly flying Endeavour to an approach within about 950 feet of the station as the systems visual navigation system was tested.

The hatches between the two spacecraft had been opened at 7:38 a.m. on May 18 and were open for joint crew operations for a total of 10 days, 23 hours, and 45 minutes.

Endeavour STS-134 Daily Mission Recap Video - Flight Day 12

A video recap of flight day 12 of the STS-134 mission of space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station:



(Video credit: NASA)

Endeavour Astronauts Successfully Complete Final Spacewalk

Astronaut Mike Fincke (Image credit:NASA)

Endeavour Astronauts Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff have successfully completed  the fourth and final spacewalk of the mission. Taking seven hours and twenty four minutes, the primary objectives for the spacewalk were accomplished, including stowing the 50-foot long boom and adding a power and data grapple fixture to extend the reach of the International Space Station's robotic arm.

This was the last spacewalk ever to be conducted by space shuttle astronauts. At 5:02 a.m., Fincke and Chamitoff surpassed the 1,000th hour astronauts and cosmonauts have spent spacewalking in support of space station assembly and maintenance.

It was the 248th spacewalk U.S. astronauts have conducted and the 118th from space station airlocks and Mike Fincke's ninth – and at  20.00 EST this evening, he will become the U.S. astronaut who has spent the most number of days in space, surpassing Peggy Whitson's record of 377 days in space.

The Endeavour is due to return to Earth on June 1st.

Record 1000 Hours on Final Shuttle Spacewalk

Image credit: NASA

Astronauts and cosmonauts have now spent 1,000 hours spacewalking for assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station. 


Spacewalkers Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff surpassed the 1,000th hour 4 hours and 47 minutes into today's spacewalk, at 5:02 a.m. EDT. It is the final spacewalk of this mission and the last ever by space shuttle astronauts.

Endeavour STS-134 Daily Mission Recap - Flight Day 11

A video recap of flight day 11 of the STS-134 mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station:

(Video courtesy of NASA)

Endeavour STS-134 Daily Mission Recap - Flight Day 9 (Video)

A video recap of flight day 9 of the STS-134 mission of space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station.