Returning from orbit after a 13-day mission, the Endeavor shuttle made a safe landing yesterday at 20.32 Moscow time at the Cape Canaveral Cosmodrome in Florida. Due to Hurricane Dean, the space shuttle returned a day early. A streak of technical failures began to plague the Endeavor even before the flight. On Earth, an air leak was discovered from the shuttle cabin, and then in time it was possible to notice that a computer had been damaged by one of the engineers, problems with which still could not be avoided in space. During the journey into orbit, another emergency occurred with the shuttle: a piece of ice, as in the case of Columbia, damaged the thermal protective lining of the space shuttle. Because of this damage, there was a threat that it would be dangerous for the shuttle docked to the ISS to return to Earth. However, after a thorough examination, NASA decided to give the go-ahead for the return flight. Another emergency occurred already in orbit: astronaut Rica Matrascio, while installing equipment brought on Endeavor, damaged his glove and was forced to return aboard the ISS. The next shuttle flight - this time Discovery - is scheduled for October 23.
