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Shuttle lands safely

WASHINGTON: Space shuttle Atlantis landed safely at Kennedy Space Center in Florida early on Thursday, after completing a landmark construction mission crucial to International Space Station (ISS), NASA television showed. ``Glad to be back. It was a great team effort so I think assembly is off to a good start,'' said Commander Brent Jett immediately after touchdown. This is the 63rd landing at Kennedy Space Center in the history of the shuttle programme. The crew members will undergo initial physical examinations and meet their families. Atlantis' homecoming had been planned for Wednesday, but was delayed a day so the crew could conduct an unprecedented third inspection of their ship's heat shield. The extra inspection was prompted by video showing a mysterious dark object flying near the shuttle early on Tuesday. Atlantis and her six-member crew began its 12-day mission to the ISS on September 9. The mission, designated STS-115, delivered and installed a new truss segment and a set of solar arrays to the international outpost. — Xinhua

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