▁sh utt le ▁was ▁serv iced ▁before ▁rela unch , ▁were ▁important ▁factors ▁in ▁its ▁selection ▁and ▁it ▁continued ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁the ▁primary ▁landing ▁area ▁for ▁the ▁space ▁sh utt le ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁After ▁that ▁time , ▁Kennedy ▁Space ▁Center ▁( K SC ) ▁in ▁Florida ▁was ▁fav ored . ▁This ▁saved ▁the ▁considerable ▁cost ▁of ▁transport ing ▁the ▁sh utt le ▁from ▁California ▁back ▁to ▁Florida , ▁but ▁Edwards ▁A FB ▁and ▁White ▁S ands ▁Space ▁Har bor ▁continued ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁back ups ▁for ▁the ▁duration ▁of ▁the ▁sh utt le ▁program . ▁Sh utt les ▁land ed ▁at ▁Edwards ▁as ▁recently ▁as ▁ 9 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁( ST S - 1 1 4 ), ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁( ST S - 1 1 7 ), ▁ 3 0 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁( ST S - 1 2 6 ), ▁ 2 4 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁( ST S - 1 2 5 ), ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁( ST S - 1 2 8 ) ▁due ▁to ▁rain ▁and ▁ce iling ▁events ▁at ▁the ▁K SC ▁Sh utt le ▁Land ing ▁Fac ility . ▁ST S - 1 2 6 ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁mission ▁to ▁land ▁on ▁temporary ▁run way ▁ 0 4 ▁at ▁Edwards , ▁as ▁the ▁ref urb ished ▁main ▁run way ▁was ▁oper ational ▁from ▁ST S - 1