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January 20, 1996
Web posted at: 5:55 a.m. EST
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (CNN) -- Under the eerie glare of floodlights, the space shuttle Endeavour made a rare nighttime landing at Kennedy Space Center Saturday morning, ending a busy nine-day flight that included two spacewalks.
Endeavour touched down at 2:42 a.m. EST, carrying a Japanese satellite that had been in orbit almost a year.
"Great to be back," said Brian Duffy, commander of the six-member crew.
Earlier, Duffy called the flight "just one fantastic mission."
In addition to the Japanese spacecraft, the shuttle's crew brought back to Earth a NASA probe that they released and retrieved two days later.
Part of the mission's purpose was to test the ability of spacesuits, tools, and other hardware to withstand the frigid void. Astronaut Leroy Chiao, who walked in space twice, said the astronauts had found their space gear, which will be used to build a planned international space station, had performed well.
Construction of the international space station is scheduled to begin in 1997 and is expected to be completed by 2002. NASA plans practice spacewalks on three more shuttle missions. The next one is due this spring.
The United States, Russia, Canada, Japan, and European nations have already spent more than $4 billion toward planning the international space station, NASA said.
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