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The STS-126 mission featured important repair work and prepared theInternational Space Station to house six crew members on long-durationmissions beginning next year. The new station equipment includes a waterrecovery system, additional sleeping quarters, a second toilet and an exercisedevice. During four spacewalks, the crew serviced the station's two SolarAlpha Rotary Joints, which allow its solar arrays to track the sun, andinstalled new hardware that will support future assembly missions.

Chris Ferguson commanded the flight and was joined by Pilot Eric Boe andMission Specialists Donald Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper,Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus. Magnus remained aboard the station,replacing Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff, who returned to Earthon Endeavour after more than five months on the station.

Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to NASA's Kennedy SpaceCenter in Florida, the primary end-of-mission landing site. In 7-10 days,Endeavour will be transported approximately 2,500 miles from California toFlorida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet. Once at Kennedy, Endeavourwill be separated from the aircraft to begin immediate processing for its nextflight, targeted for May 2009.

STS-126 was the 124th space shuttle mission, the 22nd flight for Endeavourand the 27th shuttle visit to the station.

With Endeavour and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the launchof STS-119, targeted for Feb. 12, 2009. Discovery will deliver the final pairof U.S. solar arrays, which will be installed on the starboard end of thestation's truss. The truss serves as the backbone support for externalequipment and spare components.

Lee Archambault will command the 14-day flight that will include fourplanned spacewalks. Joining him will be Pilot Tony Antonelli, MissionSpecialists John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Joseph Acaba and Richard Arnold, andJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata willreplace Magnus on the station as a flight engineer.

For more about the STS-126 mission and the upcoming STS-119 mission,visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle For more about the International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/stationSOURCE NASA