CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour returned to Earth on Wednesday, capping a milestone flight that brought Japan fully into the International Space Station partnership with the delivery of the first part of its research laboratory.
Clouds at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida prompted NASA to bypass Endeavour's first landing opportunity and nearly the second, but conditions stabilized and the wheels touched down at 8:39 p.m. EDT (0039 GMT Thursday), ending NASA's 122nd shuttle mission in darkness, just as it began 16 days ago.
