Atlantis Landed Short of Runway

The space shuttle Atlantis touched down more than 600 feet short of its runway in the California desert on its last mission but the crew was never in danger, NASA said Friday.

The information was revealed as the space agency prepared for the launch of Discovery on Tuesday, the first time NASA has tried to launch two shuttles in one calendar month since the Challenger disaster in January, 1986.

Cmdr. Steve Nagel, who was at the controls when Atlantis wrapped up its six-day mission on April 11, said he blamed himself and unusual wind conditions at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for landing short of the runway.

The latest issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine said flight controllers failed to update Nagel on abrupt changes in the wind.