Feature Stories

High Winds Force Endeavour to Land at Edwards

On November 30th the Space Shuttle Endeavour landed at Edwards Air Force Base at 4:25 p.m. ET (1:25 p.m. PT) after a 15-day mission in orbit. Severe weather conditions in central Florida forced Nasa to divert today's landing to Edwards. Central Florida, including Cape Canaveral, has been under a tornado watch with high winds.

In a statement issued earlier today Nasa said the landing at Edwards would take place Sunday afternoon. "Weather conditions forced flight controllers to pass on Endeavour’s second landing opportunity at Kennedy Space Center today. The next opportunity for STS-126 to land is at 4:25 p.m. EST at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif."

This change comes 15 days after the shuttle blasted off on a re-supply mission to the International Space Station. Endeavour carried the supply capsule Leonardo to dock with the space station. The capasule doubles the orbiting station's crew size to six. The mission also replenished the station's food and water stores. Astronauts also installed a new space toilet that converts urine to drinkable water for the astronauts.

While in orbit, the Endeavour astronauts performed several spacewalks, each lasting up to six hours. They conducted repairs and adjustments on systems on the outside of the space station. The only problem the astronauts encountered on the mission was the loss of an important tool bag while attempting to lubricate a servo on one of the solar panels. For more on STS-126 and Nasa, click the links.