The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour returned to Florida on Wednesday (March 26) 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. Unexpected clouds at the Kennedy Space Center prompted NASA to skip Endeavour's first landing opportunity and delay touchdown until 8:39 p.m. EDT (0039 Thursday GMT), ending the 122nd shuttle mission in darkness, just as it began 16 days ago. The shuttle dropped off at the space station a storage room for Japan's elaborate Kibo laboratory, as well as a Canadian robot to help astronauts maintain the $100 billion outpost. The shuttle dropped off at the space station a storage room for Japan's elaborate Kibo laboratory, as well as a Canadian robot to help astronauts maintain the $100 billion outpost.
