Canadian astronaut Julie Payette says her second mission to space after a 10-year absence was "extraordinary."
At a post-touchdown news conference on Friday, Payette said the mission, which saw her work alongside Canadian colleague Robert Thirsk on the International Space Station, was quite different that her first time there.
"My first mission 10 years ago was to a very small space station. It had only two modules, no body on board and had a lot of work to be done on it. We visited a fully functioning laboratory which is absolutely extraordinary," Payette said.
And she paid tribute to all the astronauts who have contributed to the orbiting research station.
"It was a feat of engineering that we were able to do this up in one of the most hostile environments possible, the void of space," she said.
The mission marked the first time ever that two Canadians have been in space together. Payette operated the space station's Canadarm2, the shuttle's Canadarm and the Japanese arm.
Shuttle Endeavour touched down safely Friday morning in Cape Canaveral, Fla. carrying Payette and six other astronauts. One of those astronauts, Japan's Koichi Wakata, had been at the station for an extended stint.
The landing marked the safe end to the 16-day mission, one plagued by technical and weather-related delays that results in the launch date being postponed several times. Fears the shuttle may have been damaged by breakaway foam at takeoff proved to be unfounded.
It finally launched on July 15, blasting off to the International Space Station to join a group of astronauts already there, including Thirsk.
He is still at the ISS, two months into a six-month stint.
After streaking back down through the Earth's atmosphere and breaking the sound barrier, it was a smooth, quiet flight under clear skies back to Kennedy Space Center where the craft made a clean landing.
Earlier Friday, Mission Control in Houston determined that thunderstorms off the Florida coast wouldn't affect the landing, and gave the go-ahead for the landing.
The touchdown was right on schedule, landing at 9:48 a.m. CT.
"We're happy to be home," said Commander Mark Polansky after landing the 110-tonne craft.
Endeavour was "wrapping up a 6.5 million-mile mission." Mission Control said over the radio.
While at the ISS, the crew aboard the Endeavour helped install new components to the US$1-billion lab, along with fresh batteries. They also brought with them a selection of spare parts for the lab.
Together, the two crews totaled 13 astronauts -- the largest gathering ever in space. The mission also marked the first time that two Canadians have been in space at the same time.
The mission was Payette's second, having spent time at the ISS in 1999 during a mission with the space shuttle Discovery.
Members of the Canadian Space Agency watched the landing intently from headquarters in Longueuil, Que., cheering when it finally touched down.
Steve MacLean, president of the Canadian Space Agency, praised Payette's performance and said she is a role model for young people who dream of traveling to space.
"Canada is a strong player not only because of its renowned robotic expertise, but also because of the excellence of the many Canadians who work in space exploration," MacLean said in a statement. "The commitment and dedication of the station and shuttle astronauts inspire future generations of space explorers. Julie is truly a role model for our young Canadians."
NASA plans to suspend shuttle flights late next year and to unveil a next-generation spacecraft in 2015. Russian airlifts will be used to propel astronauts into space in the meantime.
With files from The Canadian Press
