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EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, California - The US space shuttle Atlantis touched down today in California's Mojave Desert after rain and thick clouds prevented it from returning to its home port in Florida.
Safely back from a two-week mission to the International Space Station, the shuttle and seven astronauts landed at Edwards Air Force Base, its backup landing site, at 3.49pm (7.49am NZT Sat) after a fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere.
"Welcome back. Congratulations on a great mission," astronaut Tony Antonelli radioed Atlantis commander Frederick Sturckow from Mission Control in Houston as the spacecraft's rear wheels touched down, sending up a plume of brownish gray desert dust.
Flight directors had hoped skies would clear for one of two landing opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the shuttle's home port, on Friday but dense clouds and rain prevented that.
Nasa had to forego two landing opportunities in Florida on Thursday as well because of bad weather.
The shuttle had been on a two-week construction mission to the International Space Station, a US$100 billion ($132.76 billion) project of 16 nations that is a little more than half finished.
- REUTERS
