Image above: The International Space Station crew says goodbye to the crew of Discovery before hatch closure. Credit: NASA TV

Time to say goodbye

The Space Shuttle Discovery crew members bid farewell to the Expedition 11 crew aboard the International Space Station today.

Now they will undock and head for home.

During a farewell ceremony before closing the hatches, STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins thanked the Station crew for being "such great hosts."

"We thank them for being part of such a successful mission," she said. "These are memories we'll have forever."

The final hatch was closed at 1:14 a.m. EDT, with undocking to follow at 3:24. Then the Shuttle will fly around the Station at a distance of 400 feet, allowing the Shuttle crew to photograph the orbiting outpost.

During more than a week of joint operations, the two crews worked together to transfer tons of supplies and equipment to and from the Station. They used still photography, video and three spacewalks to verify the health of the Shuttle's heat shield and test new techniques for repairing it.

Together they paid tribute to the astronauts and cosmonauts who have given their lives for space exploration.

After undocking, Discovery and its seven-member crew will continue to orbit the Earth until early Monday, when they are scheduled to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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