Space Shuttle Endeavour Diverted, Landed at Edwards AFB

Space Shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts touches down Nov. 30 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. This is the 52nd time NASA has used Edwards AFB as its alternate landing site. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jim Mumaw.)

Space Shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts touches down Nov. 30 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. This is the 52nd time NASA has used Edwards AFB as its alternate landing site. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William O'Brien.)

News in Balance:

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Dec. 2, 2008 -- Space Shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts landed after a 15-day mission to the International Space Station at about 1:25 p.m. PST Nov. 30 at Edwards Air Force Base.

The shuttle was diverted to Edwards AFB, its alternate landing site, due to bad weather at Kennedy Space Station, Fla.

Endeavour was piloted by Col. Eric Boe, a NASA astronaut. This was his first voyage into space. He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and flew 55 combat missions over Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch as an F-15 Eagle flight commander. Colonel Boe is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol.

The Endeavour returned from delivering equipment to the International Space Station. That equipment will sustain six crew members for long-term missions. One astronaut, Sandra Magnus stayed on the station. She replaced Greg Chamitoff, who was aboard the ISS for six months.

"Our great people here at Edwards ensure we are ready with little warning whenever the shuttle goes up," said Maj. Gen. David J. Eichhorn, Air Force Flight Test Center commander. "Brig. Gen. (James R.) Hogue, the mobilization assistant to the commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center and director of the Edwards Space Shuttle Contingency Recovery Team, is the primary person who ensures absolutely everything is in place."

"We're proud to serve NASA," General Eichhorn said. "I'm very proud of the AFFTC and NASA team. They performed flawlessly and provided all the support NASA required when they required it."

"A picture perfect recovery of STS-126," General Hogue said. "The 52nd landing at Edwards was a true team effort. A shuttle recovery dream team represented the total force: active-duty and Reserve members from both the test wing and the air base wing, as well as a joint effort with Army forces from Fort Irwin, Navy forces from China Lake, support from the Civil Air Patrol of California, Air Forces Northern and U.S. Northern Command."

(Report by Airman 1st Class William O'Brien, 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs.)

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