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(CNN) — Space shuttle Endeavour landed securely Sunday afternoon at California’s Edwards Air Power Foundation just after NASA waved off two prospects for a Florida landing due to the fact of weak climate.
Endeavour glides in for a landing Sunday at California’s Edwards Air Force Base.
The shuttle, steered by commander Christopher Ferguson, landed at 1:25 p.m., ending a mission that lasted extra than two weeks.
Wind, rain and experiences of thunderstorms in 30 miles of the shuttle landing facility at Florida’s Kennedy House Centre prompted NASA to terminate the landing attempts there. Individuals experienced been scheduled for 1:19 p.m. and 2:54 p.m. ET.
Following pinpointing Monday’s weather forecast at Kennedy Area Centre was similarly unpromising, flight controllers resolved they would test to land the shuttle and its seven astronauts at Edwards AFB, about 100 miles from Los Angeles, California, wherever Sunday’s forecast was sunny.
Flight controllers prefer landings at Kennedy Room Center for the reason that of price and routine. NASA has believed it expenses about $1.7 million to carry a shuttle residence to Kennedy House Heart from California. 
Watch Endeavour’s Sunday landing in California »
It also usually takes at the very least a week to get the shuttle completely ready for the vacation, but timetable is not a significant issue for the Endeavour it is not scheduled to fly all over again right up until May well.
Endeavour’s 15-day mission to the international area station began on November 14 and incorporated 4 spacewalks.
In the course of that time, the crew brought vital pieces — which includes workout tools, a lot more sleeping berths and a urine recycling technique — for a undertaking to double the capability of the station from 3 in-residence astronauts to six.
The recycling method was mounted to switch urine and sweat from the astronauts into consuming drinking water.
Other modules are scheduled to get there on a February shuttle flight. The intention of growing the station’s capacity to six astronauts is anticipated to be reached by the summer.
The crew also labored on a joint that allows produce energy for the space station. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen spent hrs cleaning and lubricating the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, which is made to enable the photo voltaic panels on the still left facet of the station to rotate and monitor the solar.
The astronauts also eliminated and replaced many trundle bearing assemblies.
The mission went according to prepare, even with a insignificant interruption on the first spacewalk when a grease gun in Stefanyshyn-Piper tool’s bag leaked, coating almost everything inside with a film of lubricant. While she was hoping to clean up it up, the bag — with $100,000 in resources — floated absent.
CNN’s Kate Tobin and Miles O’Brien contributed to this report.
All About Place Shuttle Endeavour • NASA • Kennedy Space Middle
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