Endeavour Shuttle To Return On Monday

The Endeavour shuttle is expected to land on the US Cape Canaveral launch site, Florida, at 08:55 p. m., Moscow time, the Russian Mission Control reported. The shuttle will bring back to the Earth its crew, which has spent 7 days on-board the International Space Station (ISS,) and the 3rd long-term expedition to the ISS, namely, American astronaut Frank Culbertson and two Russian cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin. Back on the Earth, they will report about the results they have obtained since August 13. The primary objective of the shuttle's mission to the ISS was to deliver the 4th ISS crew and research equipment. According to the Mission Control, the shuttle's crew has perfectly accomplished its mission. On its way home, the shuttle launched into space the Starshine micro-satellite, which had been designed by students. According to the Mission Control, the satellite which is no larger than a volley ball, has been made by thousands of students who were polishing small pieces of glass subsequently putting them on its surface. It slightly resembles of these rotating glass balls which are usually used in disco clubs. It is believed that the glass will make it possible to see the satellite at night. Students of several universities, in their turn, will be calculating its speed and its orbit parameters. The 4th long-term expedition to the ISS is led by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Onufriyenko. There are two US astronauts under his command - Carl Waltz and Daniel Bursch. This crew will stay on-board the ISS till May 2002.