Space shuttle 'Atlantis' is on its way home and on the verge of ending its flying career. The six-man crew fired the braking rockets shortly after sunrise Wednesday. That put Atlantis on course for a 8:48 a.m. (1248 GMT) touchdown in Florida. Mission Control gave the green light after monitoring storms that stayed a safe distance from Kennedy Space Center, the Associated Press reported. Tens of thousands jammed the space center to witness Atlantis' launch on May 14. The landing attracted far fewer people. But coming in from Houston were the lead flight directors for the space station construction mission. Shortly after midnight, Atlantis logged its 120-millionth mile, accumulated over 25 years. Only two shuttle missions remain, by NASA's two other spaceships.
