Florida Weather Favors Wednesday Night Launch

Mission accomplished... and now they're coming home. The crew of STS-123 left their compatriots onboard the International Space Station behind Monday night, undocking from the station and beginning the journey back to Earth.

A record-setting 12-day stay at the ISS came to its official end when shuttle pilot Gregory Johnson backed Endeavour away from the station.

"We really appreciate everything you've done for us over the last couple of weeks," station commander Peggy Whitson radioed Endeavour as the shuttle pulled away, reports The Associated Press. "Thanks a bunch."

As ANN reported throughout Endeavour's stay at the station, the latest shuttle mission delivered the first segment of the mammoth Japanese Kibo science module to the station, and assembled the Dextre robotic toolkit and all-purpose handy-bot.

Crewmembers conducted a record-tying five spacewalks outside the joined shuttle/station assembly, performing duties associated with those two mission goals, as well as testing a new tile repair method for the shuttle fleet.

"I am immensely proud of the teams, all the teams, that got us to this point," said NASA mission director Mike Moses.

Endeavour is scheduled to land Wednesday night at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Weather conditions will likely be favorable for that primary landing site.

NASA's next shuttle mission is scheduled for late May, during with Discovery will deliver the primary Kibo lab segment... an assembly so gargantuan, it leaves little extra room in Discovery's cargo bay for any other equipment.

To that end, Endeavour "donated" its robotic arm sensor extension, used to sweep the orbiter for signs of damage to its heat shield, behind at the ISS... so Discovery could use it.

FMI: www.nasa.gov