Shuttle Endeavour lands safely in Florida

[cal04]

Space shuttle Endeavour touched down Sunday in a rare nighttime landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.



Ends mission that resulted in the virtual completion of the space station
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35501389/ns/technology_and_science-space/


Endeavour and its six astronauts returned safely to Earth on Sunday, making a rare nighttime landing to end a mission that resulted in the virtual completion of the International Space Station.

The shuttle's on-time arrival took some by surprise. All day, forecasters said rain and clouds probably would scuttle any touchdown attempts. But the rain stayed away and the sky cleared just in time.

Mission Control waited until the last possible minute before giving commander George Zamka the go-ahead to head home. The 3-mile-long runway was awash in xenon lights.''

"It's great to be home. It was a great adventure," Zamka said after the shuttle rolled to a stop.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35265139#35265139

[Forkboy]

1. Always relieved to see it touch back down safely.

[Gore1FL]

2. I look forward to seeing the next generation of orbiter and trans lunar/mars craft landings

I hope it is sooner rather than later.

[flyarm]

3. Thanks goodness it was a safe landing..always a wonderful thing..couldn't see it tonight because of

clouds..I sat outside watching for it..but the clouds where I am didn't cooperate.

Very happy they had a safe landing!!

[lpbk2713]

4. Launched in the dark and landed in the dark.

Apparently the return path didn't go over me. I didn't notice the boom.