Space Shuttle Endeavour, led by commander Mark Kelly made its final descent when it landed at Kennedy Space centre this morning, ending its 16-day mission as well as its 19 year career in space.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was not present for the landing, but her Chief of Staff was at Cape Canaveral to welcome Commander Mark Kelly home.

Giffords who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head, remained at her rehab facility in Houston.

The landing time was too inconvenient for her to travel to the Kennedy Space center.

Endevour departed from the International Space Station over the weekend as the astronauts finished work on the orbiting lab. As part of the mission the crew installed a $2 billion particle physics experiment at the International Space station.

Speaking about the latest mission, Kelly said Endeavor performed to its usual high quality.

"Endeavour's performed really, really well for us over these 16 days, as it has since its first flight," Kelly said.

Endeavor will has traveled 123 million miles on all its 25 voyages and will has spent 299 days in space.

Speaking from the space shuttle on Tuesday evening, Kelly said after landing the space shuttle would be permanently located to its new home as part of at the California Science Center.

"When we land in Florida tomorrow, it's going to roll into the hangar and get prepared for the next step, the next phase of its life, which is in a museum. I imagine millions of people, hopefully millions of people a year will get to enjoy getting up close to the space shuttle ... but it is a bittersweet moment, it's been a great spacecraft."
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