CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven returned to Earth yesterday, making a rare nighttime touchdown to wrap up “a two-week adventure” at the international space station.
The shuttle swooped through the darkness and landed on NASA’s illuminated runway at 8:39 p.m. (ET), an hour after sunset.
“Welcome home, Endeavour,” Mission Control radioed. “Congrats to the entire crew.”
Endeavour’s commander, Dominic Gorie, replied: “It was a super-rewarding mission, exciting from the start to the ending.”