Endeavour arrives home safe after 5.3 million mile journey

SPACE shuttle Endeavour returned to Earth yesterday, ending a nearly two-week orbital drama that centred on a deep gouge in the shuttle’s belly and an early homecoming prompted by a hurricane.

The space shuttle swooped out of the partly cloudy sky and touched down on the runway at 12.32pm

“Congratulations. Welcome home. You’ve given a new meaning to higher education,” Mission Control told commander Scott Kelly and his crew, which included teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan.