STS-118
Report #26
Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - 4:00 a.m. CDT
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Endeavour astronauts are beginning a day they hope will see a landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The crew, Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charlie Hobaugh, and Mission Specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Dave Williams, Barbara R. Morgan and Alvin Drew, was awakened at 3:36 a.m. CDT by “Homeward Bound,” performed by Simon & Garfunkel. It was for the entire crew.

Endeavour is about 150 miles behind the International Space Station. Endeavour undocked from the station at 6:56 a.m. Sunday after almost nine days at the orbiting laboratory.

The landing focus for Tuesday will be on Kennedy Space Center, with two opportunities available there. Weather forecasts generally are favorable.

Deorbit preparations by the crew begin at 6:26 a.m. If the weather cooperates, payload bay doors would be closed at 7:45 a.m. for the orbit 201 landing opportunity. The deorbit burn would begin at 10:25 a.m., resulting in a landing at 11:32 a.m.

The second opportunity is on the subsequent orbit, 202. That would see a deorbit burn beginning at noon and a landing at 1:06 p.m. It would take Endeavour almost over Hurricane Dean. At an altitude of more than 35 miles, the shuttle would feel no effects from the storm, nor would the crew be likely to see it. The shuttle would be between its first and second roll reversal, with its belly facing Dean.

White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico will not be called up Tuesday. Edwards AFB, Calif., will be staffed, but is not expected to be used.

The next status report will be issued Tuesday afternoon or earlier if events warrant.