ASTRONAUTS from the US space shuttle Discovery concluded the third and final space walk of their mission yesterday, installing new equipment on the International Space Station, but failing to connect some of the cables.

Space shuttle Atlantis’ seven astronauts reunited with their families in Texas last night, a day after the space shuttle capped a two-week mission with a perfect landing in the Mojave Desert in California.

Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven astronauts took a detour across the US and landed safely in California, ending a two-week mission of construction on the international space station.

Two astronauts floated outside the international space station today on the first space walk of the year.