Hurricane Dean has affected the space shuttle schedule! The shuttle will undock a day early and return to earth on Tuesday to get back before the hurricane affects the weather at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

On Sunday and Monday nights, the space shuttle/ISS will make several favorable passes over the eastern USA. On Monday night in particular there is a very favorable pass over the Midatlantic on a path from Chicago to the Carolinas. The map above shows the path with the circle centered on the Washington DC/Northern Virginia metro area. Depending on the exact time of separation of the shuttle from the space station, you may be able to see one combined bright object, or two separate objects following each other in a similar orbit. Of course, real time changes in the mission schedule could affect the viewing, so it is a good idea to check the HeavensAbove.com website before viewing, with the GPS coordinates substituted for your exact location. It also makes sense to use the ISS predictions as the baseline, and the shuttle will either still be docked or nearby.

Hurricane Dean will make a direct hit on Jamaica today.