The US space shuttle Atlantis landed safely on earth at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida at 09:44 am Eastern Standard Time after its 11-day mission in space.

Atlantis was tasked to deliver spare parts to the International Space Station on November 16. It was also assigned to do other chores including re-supplying and maintenance at the ISS.

The shuttle left with six crew members on board but went back with Nicole Stott, the Space Station flight engineer, who was there for three months.

Five more shuttle missions are being planned by NASA before it completely discards its September 2010 space program to make way for its new generation United States spacecrafts. February 4, 2010 is the date for its next shuttle launch.

At present, NASA is intent on creating spaceships that will enable the astronauts to fly not only to the moon, but to the other planets in the solar system as well. They are looking at a 2015 deadline.