SPACEPHOTOS

(12/17/2001) - After dropping through cloud cover, Orbiter Endeavour approaches Runway 15 at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, with a mission elapsed time of 11 days, 19 hours, 35 minutes. Main gear touchdown occurred at 12:55:10 p.m. EST, nose gear touchdown at 12:55:23 p.m. , wheel stop at 12:56:13 p.m. The landing, the 57th at KSC in the history of the program completed the STS-108 mission known as Utilization Flight 1, which was the 12th mission to the International Space Station. This mission was the 107th flight in the Shuttle program and the 17th flight for the orbiter. Endeavour carries both the mission crew and the Expedition 3 crew - Commander Frank Culbertson and cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin - who are returning to Earth after 129 days in space on the Space Station