Recently NASA informed that the crew of the U. S. space shuttle Endeavour is back in the spacecraft, facing a Friday departure from the International Space Station.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration reported that the hatches between the shuttle and the orbiting scientific research facility were closed at 7:31 p. m. EST, following a freeze-dried Thanksgiving dinner onThursday and a round of good-byes to their comrades aboard the space station.

At 9:47 a. m. Friday, the undocking is planned and the final separation burn at 12:14 p. m.

The main motive of the STS-126 mission was to bring new amenities that also included a second toilet, a refrigeration system and a urine recycling machine, to the station.

The station was occupied by three astronauts as Expedition 18. Prior to the closing of the hatches, the two groups had a brief ceremony.

Mike Fincke, the Expedition 18 commander said, "You totally fixed us up on the inside and the outside, and the results speak for themselves."

Two days are to be spent by the Endeavour on the trip back to earth. The seven astronauts will have been away for almost two weeks by the time they touch down.