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Space shuttle Endeavour finishes 16-day mission
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-01 08:19

The US space shuttle Endeavour approaches Edwards Air Force Base in California November 30, 2008. The orbiter touched down at Edwards Air Force Base after being diverted from NASA's Kennedy Space Center due to weather concerns. [Agencies]

And Endeavour's astronauts also had to put in extra effort to get the urine processor working.

About seven liters (1.9 gallons) of recycled urine and condensation were coming back aboard Endeavour for extensive testing. No one at the space station will drink the recycled water until the equipment runs for 90 days and ground tests ensure it's safe. More samples will be returned on the next shuttle flight.

The shuttle crew also conducted four spacewalks to clear metal shavings from a solar wing rotary joint at the space station. The joint had been jammed for more than a year and hampered energy production at the orbiting outpost.

Initial tests indicated the repairs on the joint were successful.