EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis fired its rockets to break orbit on Friday and begin a fiery descent through the Earth's atmosphere for a landing in California.

The shuttle, which spent most of its two-week mission at the International Space Station and was prevented from landing at its home port in Florida by clouds and rain, was due to touch down at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert at 3:49 p.m. (1949 GMT GMT).

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