Space shuttle lands safely
Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven astronauts landed safely back on Earth tonight.
The space shuttle landed in California, after being diverted there by stormy weather at NASA’s Florida spaceport.
Commander Christopher Ferguson guided Endeavour down at Edwards Air Force Base to end a trip that spanned 16 days and left the international space station freshly remodelled and capable of housing bigger crews.
NASA had hoped to bring Endeavour back to Kennedy Space Centre, its home port. But dangerously high wind and approaching thunderstorms scuttled two landing attempts, and Mission Control opted for the temporary runway at Edwards.
``Welcome back. That was a great way to finish a fantastic flight,'' Mission Control radioed.
“And we’re happy to be here in California,” shuttle commander Christopher Ferguson replied.
Congratulations also came down from the space station.
“Wow,” said skipper Mike Fincke, who watched the landing broadcast live.
Returning home from a six-month mission was former space station resident Gregory Chamitoff, who had rocketed away from the planet at the end of May.
The space shuttle’s journey, short by comparison, spanned 6.6 million miles and 250 orbits of Earth.
NASA always prefers to land the space shuttles at its home base in Florida. It takes about a week and costs $1.8m (€1.4m) to transport a shuttle from California to Florida, atop a modified jumbo jet.
The astronauts also had been rooting for a Florida touchdown; that’s where their families were waiting.
But the crosswind at the Florida landing strip was too strong, and thunderstorms moved in. Tomorrow’s outlook was just as dismal; NASA officials said it would make no sense to keep Endeavour in orbit an extra day if the weather wasn’t expected to improve in Florida.
As Endeavour soared over Houston, home to Mission Control, Ferguson could see all the bad weather in Florida.
“I think you made a good call,” he radioed.
It was the first space shuttle landing at Edwards in more than a year. Ferguson aimed for a temporary runway that’s shorter and more narrow than the Kennedy landing strip. Edwards’ main runway – which parallels the temporary one – just underwent maintenance and upgrades, and has yet to be equipped with all the necessary navigation equipment.
NASA officials weren’t concerned, saying both Ferguson and his co-pilot, Eric Boe, practiced on the temporary runway in training aircraft.
Flight surgeons were standing by at Edwards. Chamitoff, in particular, was expected to need assistance at touchdown; he had not experienced gravity for six months.
Endeavour blasted into orbit on November 14, carrying up all kinds of home improvement equipment for the space station. It dropped off a new bathroom, kitchenette, exercise machine, two sleeping quarters and a recycling system designed to convert astronauts’ urine and sweat into drinking water.
The additions – and a few more scheduled to go up on the next shuttle flight in February – should enable NASA to double the size of the space station crew by June.
Endeavour’s astronauts helped install the recycling machine and had to put in extra effort to get the urine processor working.
About 1.9 gallons of recycled urine and condensation were coming back aboard Endeavour for extensive testing. No one at the space station will drink the recycled water until the equipment runs for 90 days and ground tests ensure it’s safe. More samples will be returned on the next shuttle flight.
The shuttle crew also conducted four spacewalks to clear metal shavings from a solar wing rotary joint at the space station. The joint had been jammed for more than a year and hampered energy production at the orbiting outpost.
Earlier today, a Russian supply ship arrived at the space station with Christmas presents, food, clothes and other items.
