A NORTH-EAST astronaut returned safely to Earth yesterday, marking the successful end of a mission to the International Space Station.
Dr Nicholas Patrick, from Saltburn, east Cleveland, and five colleagues touched down in the space shuttle Endeavour in a rare night-time landing at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Mission commander George Zamka said: “It’s great to be home. It was a great adventure.”
During their mission, which spanned two weeks and 5.7 million miles, the astronauts delivered and installed a £258m space station room, Tranquillity, and a big bay window with sweeping views of the Earth.
Tranquillity is already serving as a base for life support equipment, as well as a gym and restroom.
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