SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Space Shuttle Endeavour to Undock Today *

S118-E-07918 : Hurricane Dean Image above: A still photo close-up of the eye of Category 4 Hurricane Dean. Crew members on the Space Shuttle Endeavour captured this image around 1 p.m. EDT(1700 UTC) Saturday of Hurricane Dean in the Caribbean. Image: NASA

TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station shortly before 8 a.m. EDT(1200 UTC) today, ending an almost nine-day stay at the orbital outpost for the STS-118 crew.

Undocking was moved up a day in preparation for a possible landing on Tuesday. The earlier landing is being considered in the event Hurricane Dean threatens the Houston area. It could allow an opportunity for the shuttle to land before Mission Control, Houston, would be shut down in preparation for a storm.

Mission managers are continuing to monitor the situation and assess their options.

Due to the early undocking, the STS-118 crew will not do a fly-around of the station.

Endeavour delivered the Starboard 5 (S5) truss segment to the space station. The STS-118 crew conducted four spacewalks at the station. The two major objectives were the installation of the S5 and the replacement of a failed attitude control gyroscope.

Animations: + Endeavour undocking from station javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/Undock.asx') | + Shuttle wings and nose cap survey javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/LateInspection.asx')

*Hurricane Dean Information* On-orbit Hurricane Dean Video: + Real Video http://mfile.akamai.com/18565/rm/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/real.nasa-global/STS-118/Hurricane_Dean.ram | + Windows Media http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/Hurricane_Dean.asx + NASA Hurricane Resource Page http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/main/index.html