The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said the crew members were to enjoy off-duty time as they prepare for Friday's scheduled return to Earth after completing their mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The astronauts released the telescope back into space Tuesday after adding two new science instruments, repairing two others, installing new insulating material and replacing various hardware components during five spacewalks that lasted a total of 36 hours and 56 minutes.
The refurbishing is designed to allow the space telescope to continue operating until at least 2014.
The STS-125 crew members -- despite their "day off" status -- were to talk with members of the news media Wednesday at different NASA centers about the mission. They also were to take part in a ship-to-ship call to the International Space Station. The shuttle's STS-125 crew were to chat with the station's Expedition 19 crew -- Commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineers Mike Barratt and Koichi Wakata.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
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