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Endeavour Returns to Earth a Final Time

After 299 days in space, space shuttle grounded for good

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 1, 2011 6:27 AM CDT | Updated Jun 1, 2011 7:56 AM CDT

(Newser) – After 25 missions, 299 days in space, 4,671 orbits around the Earth, and more than 122 million miles, the space shuttle Endeavour has landed for good. It touched down at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral at 2:34am this morning after its final 16-day mission, Space.com reports. After being welcomed home by Mission Control, Commander Mark Kelly noted that Endeavour is “really an incredible ship. … It's sad to see her land for the last time, but she really has a great legacy.”

Kelly and his crew delivered a $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and other supplies to the International Space Station during STS-134, NASA’s 134th and penultimate shuttle mission since 1981. Atlantis, scheduled to launch July 8, will be the shuttle program’s final voyage. It started traversing to the launch pad last night and was expected to reach it an hour after Endeavour landed, marking a rare crossing of two shuttles. Endeavour’s next stop will be the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Click for more on Endeavour's last mission.

US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.
US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.   (Getty Images)
US space shuttle Endeavour lands at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.
US space shuttle Endeavour lands at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.   (Getty Images)
US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.
US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.   (Getty Images)
US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.
US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.   (Getty Images)
Endeavour lands at the John F. Kennedy Space Center after its last mission, June 1, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Endeavour lands at the John F. Kennedy Space Center after its last mission, June 1, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.   (Getty Images)
US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.
US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011.   (Getty Images)
Space workers check out space shuttle Endeavour after it landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, June 1, 2011.
Space workers check out space shuttle Endeavour after it landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, June 1, 2011.   (AP Photo/John Raoux, Pool)
The crew, from left, Roberto Vittori, pilot Greg Johnson, commander Mark Kelly, mission specialist Mike Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, and mission specialist Drew Feustel.
The crew, from left, Roberto Vittori, pilot Greg Johnson, commander Mark Kelly, mission specialist Mike Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, and mission specialist Drew Feustel.   (AP Photo/John Raoux, Pool)
Space shuttle Endeavour commander Mark Kelly, right, laughs with NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden after landing.
Space shuttle Endeavour commander Mark Kelly, right, laughs with NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden after landing.   (AP Photo/John Raoux, Pool)
The space shuttle Endeavour prepares to land after completing her final flight at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, June 1, 2011.
The space shuttle Endeavour prepares to land after completing her final flight at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, June 1, 2011.   (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Pool)
The space shuttle Endeavour lands after her final flight at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, June 1, 2011.
The space shuttle Endeavour lands after her final flight at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, June 1, 2011.   (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
This image provided by NASA television shows an infrared image of the Space Shuttle Endeavour after touching down at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida early Wednesday, June 1, 2011.
This image provided by NASA television shows an infrared image of the Space Shuttle Endeavour after touching down at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida early Wednesday, June 1, 2011.   (AP Photo/NASA)
This image provided by NASA shows the International Space Station backdropped by the blackness of space photographed by a crew member on the space shuttle Endeavour.
This image provided by NASA shows the International Space Station backdropped by the blackness of space photographed by a crew member on the space shuttle Endeavour.   (AP Photo/NASA)
A photo released by NASA shows the Endeavour with a backdrop of a nighttime view of the Earth and the starry sky, while docked at the International Space Station on Saturday May 28, 2011.
A photo released by NASA shows the Endeavour with a backdrop of a nighttime view of the Earth and the starry sky, while docked at the International Space Station on Saturday May 28, 2011.   (AP Photo/NASA)
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STS-134 came to a conclusion with the landing early Wednesday morning of orbiter Endeavour at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.   (NASAtelevision)

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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
danton3
Jun 1, 2011 1:07 PM CDT
That is not an optical illusion.
Ballantyne
Jun 1, 2011 10:08 AM CDT
These pictures capture the end of an era perfectly. 

 
NASA • space shuttle • Endeavour • Atlantis Space Shuttle • Space Shuttle Endeavour • space shuttle landing

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