Storm Forces Shuttle Home Early

NASA managers worried about the wrath of Hurricane Dean have ordered shuttle Endeavour home a day earlier than planned, the AP reports. Astronauts wrapped up a space walk today and prepared for a trip that would leave tomorrow and land in Houston on Tuesday. One astronaut clearly saw the hurricane’s eye from 214 miles over the Caribbean: "Hooo, man, yeah, can't miss that," he said.

Houston says it was a tough call because Dean, now a savage category 4 storm, is headed for Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico and may or may not hit Houston. Earlier this week they okay’d the shuttle's return trip without repairing a deep cut in its belly, saying the gash would not cause a Columbia-like breakup when re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. (More Endeavour stories.)