Space Shuttle Endeavour to LandAnother chapter in the construction of the international space station was to conclude with the landing of the space shuttle Endeavour.Although there was a slight chance for showers at Kennedy Space Center, shuttle entry flight director Leroy Cain said officials are confident Endeavour can touch down in Florida on Monday. Endeavour will have two opportunities to land in Florida on Monday. If those are scrubbed, there will also be two chances to land at Edwards. Nearing the end of their 11-day mission, the shuttle crew on Sunday reflected on successfully completing its objective: outfitting space station Alpha with solar wings spreading 240 feet from tip to tip. The $600 million solar wings �� the largest and most powerful ever built for a spacecraft �� are already generating up to 42 kilowatts of electricity for the three men on board. Shepherd and his Russian crewmates have been aboard Alpha since Nov. 2. They will remain there through late February. The next shuttle to visit the space station will be Atlantis, which will deliver and install the American lab Destiny in January. NASA expects to complete the space station by 2006. |
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