Shuttle Returns to Earth

The space shuttle Endeavour returned to Earth with a rare night landing to wrap up an ambitious mission to the International Space Station, the AP reports. The shuttle had to land in darkness after NASA called off an earlier attempt because of cloud cover. Astronauts blasted off 16 days ago, delivering a 12-foot robot to the space station and installing the first portion of a Japanese laboratory.

"Welcome home, Endeavour," said mission control in Cape Canaveral, Florida. "Congrats to the entire crew." Co-pilot Gregory Johnson called the mission "a two-week adventure." The space station is now 70% complete, and the shuttle Discovery is scheduled to fly there in May. (More International Space Station stories.)