Space Shuttle Atlantis Returns - November 27, 2009
Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew of seven astronauts
ended an 11-day journey of nearly 4.5 million miles with a
9:44 a.m. EST landing Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
in Florida.
The mission, designated STS-129, included three spacewalks
and the installation of two platforms to the International
Space Station's truss, or backbone. The platforms hold large
spare parts to sustain station operations after the shuttles
are retired. The shuttle crew delivered about 30,000 pounds
of replacement parts for systems that provide power to the
station, keep it from overheating, and maintain a proper
orientation in space.
