Weather Forces Shuttle to Land in California

November 30, 2008 — Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew landed at 1:25 p.m. PST Sunday, November 30, at Edwards Air Force Base in California, completing a 16-day journey of more than 6.6 million miles. "Welcome back, it's a fantastic finish to a fantastic flight," Alan Poindexter, an official at NASA's control center in Houston, Texas, told Endeavour's crew moments after it touched down and rolled to a stop, AFP reported. "We are happy to be here in California," shuttle commander Chris Ferguson replied. Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the traditional landing site. On Monday, the crew will be flown back to Johnson Space Center in Houston for a family reunion and a homecoming celebration at Ellington Field. Then, in seven to 10 days, Endeavour will be transported approximately 2,500 miles from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet. Once at Kennedy, Endeavour will be separated from the aircraft to begin immediate processing for its next flight, targeted for May 2009. The STS-126 mission featured important repair work and prepared the International Space Station to house six crewmembers on long-duration missions beginning next year. The new station equipment includes a water recovery system, additional sleeping quarters, a second toilet and an exercise device. During four spacewalks, the crew serviced the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allow its solar arrays to track the sun, and installed new hardware that will support future assembly missions. STS-126 was the 124th space shuttle mission, the 22nd flight for Endeavour and the 27th shuttle visit to the station. With Endeavour and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the launch of STS-119, targeted for Feb. 12, 2009. Discovery will deliver the final pair of U.S. solar arrays, which will be installed on the starboard end of the station's truss. The truss serves as the backbone support for external equipment and spare components. Lee Archambault will command the 14-day flight that will include four planned spacewalks.

Space shuttle Endeavour and the STS-126 crew land at Edwards Air Force Base, California after completing a mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Landis Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, these seven astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS-119 crew portrait. The STS-119 crew will launch in February 2009. From the right (front row) are NASA astronauts Lee Archambault, commander, and Tony Antonelli, pilot. From the left (back row) are NASA astronauts Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, all mission specialists. Image credit: NASA

• 2012 - 02/22 - Borschberg Begins Simulated 72-Hour Solar Flight
• 2012 - 02/20 - NASA Celebrates 50 Years of Americans in Space
• 2012 - 02/16 - Tiny Robots Swarm Fly in Formation
• 2012 - 02/16 - Civil War Balloon Replica to Take Flight This Summer
• 2012 - 02/09 - Application Deadline Approaches for EAA Scholarship