1130a 11/29 Update: Final separation burn delayed to avoid close encounter with Russian satellite debris

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CBS NEWS STS-126 STATUS REPORT: 78
Posted: 11:30 AM, 11/28/08

By William Harwood
CBS News Space Analyst

Changes and additions:

   SR-76 (11/28/08): Astronauts gear up for undocking
   SR-77 (11/28/08): Endeavour undocks from space station
   SR-78 (11/28/08): Final shuttle separation burn delayed to avoid close encounter with Russian satellite debris

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11:30 AM, 11/28/08, Update: Final shuttle separation burn delayed to avoid close encounter with Russian satellite

A third and final rocket firing by the shuttle Endeavour to leave the international space station behind was delayed about six hours today to avoid any chance of a close enounter with debris from a defunct Russian satellite. The delay eliminated a predicted "conjunction" and posed no threat to the shuttle crew. But the slip prompted flight controllers to revise the crew's afternoon schedule, moving other activities up a bit.

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Quick-Launch Web Links:

CBS News STS-126 Status Reports:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/current.html

CBS News STS-126 Quick-Look Page:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/currentglance.html

NASA ISS Expeditions Page:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/index.html

NASA Shuttle Web: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/index.html
NASA Station Web: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/index.html
Spaceflight Now: http://spaceflightnow.com/index.html
GoogleSatTrack: http://www.lizard-tail.com/isana/tracking/

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