Endeavour undocks but delays departure

HOUSTON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- The shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station for the two-day trip home Friday but was delayed by space trash.

NASA said the astronauts were told to delay by several hours a maneuver to steer completely away from the station in order to avoid orbiting debris from an old Russian satellite.

Mission Control in Houston called it "a precautionary measure." Departure was postponed until about 5:20 p.m.CST, The Houston Chronicle said on its Web site.

The shuttle is due to return to Earth on Sunday after wrapping up a 12-day makeover trip to the station.

The shuttle separated at 8:47 a.m. CST, leaving two Americans and a Russian crewman behind on the station.

With pilot Eric Boe at the controls, Endeavour maneuvered 450 feet away from the station and began a slow loop around the outpost.