Posted: Mon, Feb 18, 2008, 9:56 AM ET (1456 GMT)
The space shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station on Monday morning in advance of its return to Earth on Wednesday. The shuttle separated from the station at 4:24 am EST (0924 GMT) and performed a loop around the station before departing its vicinity. Atlantis is scheduled to land at the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday at 9:07 am EST (1407 GMT), weather permitting; the shuttle will land Wednesday at Edwards Air Force Base in California if weather conditions in Florida are poor. The shuttle is returning to Earth with ISS crew member Dan Tani, who had been on the station since October. His spot on the station was taken by European astronaut Leopold Eyharts, who flew to the station on Atlantis.

Related Links:

•  CBS News/Spaceflight Now article
•  Reuters article
•  AP article
•  AFP article
•  Houston Chronicle article