Shuttle Endeavour and its six astronauts have safely returned to Earth, completing the second-last mission in Nasa's 30-year program. A considerably big crowd had gathered well in advance to see Atlantis become the last ever shuttle to make its way to the launchpad. Thousands of Kennedy Space Centre workers and their families lined the route from the mammoth Vehicle Assembly Building a little after sunset.
After 25 flights Endeavour has travelled 122.8mn miles, carried 170 crew members, spent 299 days in space and made 4,672 orbits of Earth. Commander Mark Kelly brought Endeavour to a stop before hundreds of onlookers including the four Atlantis astronauts who will take off in July when Atlantis will make the fleet's last ever trip . Mission control told Kelly and his crew mates, who wrapped up US construction at the International Space Station."122 million miles flown during 25 challenging spaceflights," "Your landing ends a vibrant legacy for this amazing vehicle that will long be remembered. Welcome home, Endeavour."