Shuttle expected home on Sunday
American astronaut can’t wait to see wife, their twins

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 29, 2008


In this photo released by NASA, the 7 Endeavour astronauts and 3 Expedition 18 crew members share a Thanksgiving meal on the middeck of the orbiter Thursday Nov. 27, 2008. Astronaut Sandra Magnus, Expedition 18 flight engineer, appears at top center. Clockwise from her position are astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Eric Boe, along with cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, and astronauts Steve Bowen, partially visible behind Lonchakov, Donald Pettit, Michael Fincke, Gregory Chamitoff, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Chris Ferguson, partially visible at top right. (AP Photo/NASA)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven departed the international space station on Friday. The departure ended a 12-day visit that left the orbiting complex with more modern and deluxe living quarters for bigger crews.

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Endeavour pulled away as the two spacecraft soared 220 miles above the Pacific, just east of Taiwan.

With pilot Eric Boe at the controls, Endeavour slowly backed up 450 feet and completed a full lap around the space station, essentially for picture-taking. The shuttle is due back on Earth on Sunday.

American astronaut Gregory Chamitoff was headed home, finally, after six months in orbit. Taking his place was Sandra Magnus, who will be up there for 3½ months.

Before leaving, Chamitoff said he couldn’t wait to see his wife and twins, who will turn 4 in January, and dig into some pizza and rocky road ice cream.

Space station skipper Mike Fincke, meanwhile, had a post-Thanksgiving yearning for pumpkin pie.

"I think that’s one of the first things I’ll probably have when I come back,” said Fincke, who’s not due back on Earth until April.


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Related Topics: Culture and Lifestyle, Science and Technology, Technology, Food and Cooking, Foods, Desserts, Space Technology, Manned Space Flight, Space Shuttles


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