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| Endeavour shuttle returns safely | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Space shuttle Endeavour has landed in Florida after a two-week mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was cut short by Hurricane Dean. | Space shuttle Endeavour has landed in Florida after a two-week mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was cut short by Hurricane Dean. |
| Nasa had feared that mission control in Houston would have to be evacuated if the storm lurched towards Texas, but in the end, the facility was not affected. | Nasa had feared that mission control in Houston would have to be evacuated if the storm lurched towards Texas, but in the end, the facility was not affected. |
| The space agency also opted not to repair a 9cm (3.5in) gouge in the shuttle's underside before its return. | The space agency also opted not to repair a 9cm (3.5in) gouge in the shuttle's underside before its return. |
| But the damage appears to have posed no problem to Endeavour on re-entry. | But the damage appears to have posed no problem to Endeavour on re-entry. |
| The US shuttle made a perfect touch down at Kennedy Space Center at 1732 BST (1232 EDT). | The US shuttle made a perfect touch down at Kennedy Space Center at 1732 BST (1232 EDT). |
| Its seven crew members spent 13 days in space on a mission that spanned 8.5m km (5.3m miles). | |
| Their aims were to continue construction work on the ISS, replace a faulty space station gyroscope and deliver vital supplies to crew members on the orbiting outpost. | Their aims were to continue construction work on the ISS, replace a faulty space station gyroscope and deliver vital supplies to crew members on the orbiting outpost. |
| How the shuttle returns At 1625 BST (1125 EDT) on Tuesday, Commander Scott Kelly and Pilot Charles Hobaugh fired the shuttle's engines for a four-minute de-orbit burn, which sets in motion Endeavour's descent to the ground. | How the shuttle returns At 1625 BST (1125 EDT) on Tuesday, Commander Scott Kelly and Pilot Charles Hobaugh fired the shuttle's engines for a four-minute de-orbit burn, which sets in motion Endeavour's descent to the ground. |
| On the way down, Endeavour would have reached speeds of up to 30 times the speed of sound and its underside would have been exposed to temperatures of 1,649C (3,000F). | On the way down, Endeavour would have reached speeds of up to 30 times the speed of sound and its underside would have been exposed to temperatures of 1,649C (3,000F). |
| Nasa officials had already decided that a hole in Endeavour's heat shield tiles would not be repaired by astronauts on a spacewalk before the shuttle attempted to return. | Nasa officials had already decided that a hole in Endeavour's heat shield tiles would not be repaired by astronauts on a spacewalk before the shuttle attempted to return. |
| Engineers had been worried the 9cm (3.5in) gash could lead to structural damage on re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, but extensive tests concluded it should pose no problem. | Engineers had been worried the 9cm (3.5in) gash could lead to structural damage on re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, but extensive tests concluded it should pose no problem. |
| During launch on 8 August, a chunk of insulating foam hit the shuttle, creating the square gouge. | During launch on 8 August, a chunk of insulating foam hit the shuttle, creating the square gouge. |
| Foam damage has been a major concern for Nasa since the Columbia disaster in 2003 when a briefcase-sized chunk of foam insulation broke off during launch and pierced the shuttle's wing. | Foam damage has been a major concern for Nasa since the Columbia disaster in 2003 when a briefcase-sized chunk of foam insulation broke off during launch and pierced the shuttle's wing. |
| This caused the shuttle to disintegrate on re-entry into the atmosphere, killing all seven crew. | This caused the shuttle to disintegrate on re-entry into the atmosphere, killing all seven crew. |