February 11, 2009 2:47 PM
- Text
Shuttle Discovery Returns From Space
(AP)
Shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven returned to Earth on Saturday and capped a successful expansion job at the international space station, more spacious and robust thanks to a new billion-dollar science lab.
The shuttle swooped through a slightly cloudy sky and landed at 11:15 a.m., under the control of commander Mark Kelly.
"Beautiful land, Mark, and congratulations on a great mission," Mission Control radioed when Discovery came to a safe stop.
"Great to be back," Kelly replied.
Discovery's mission spanned 14 days, 217 orbits and 5.7 million miles, and was described by NASA as being about as smooth as it gets.
Kelly and his crew accomplished everything they set out to do in orbit. They delivered and installed Japan's Kibo lab, now the space station's biggest room and most sophisticated science workshop, and dropped off a new pump that the two Russians on board used to fix their toilet.
The space station also got a new American resident who took the place of astronaut Garrett Reisman, returning home after 95 days in space.
Reisman's wife, Simone Francis, was waiting at the Kennedy Space Center. Over the past week, Reisman described in quite romantic terms how much he missed her, calling her "my favorite Earthling" and "doll face."
Although the mission itself unfolded almost flawlessly, Discovery left behind a battered launch pad on May 31. Some 5,300 bricks flew off the flame trench when Discovery blasted away, most likely because they were not attached properly to the underlying concrete wall when the pad was built in the 1960s for the Apollo moon shots.
NASA managers are confident the launch pad can be fixed in time for the next shuttle flight in October, by Atlantis to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The next time a shuttle flies to the space station, now three-quarters complete, isn't until November. That's because NASA needs to have a shuttle ready to rush to Atlantis' aid in case of serious damage to its thermal shielding. Atlantis' astronauts will not be able to get from Hubble to the space station for shelter.
NASA had no such rescue plan in place when Columbia took off in 2003 on a solo-flying research mission. In any event, mission managers had no idea Columbia's left wing was severely damaged at liftoff, and the shuttle shattered during re-entry. All seven on board were killed.
Shades of Columbia briefly surfaced Friday when Discovery's astronauts spotted something floating away from their spaceship. It turned out to be a little metal clip that broke off the rudder, and engineers ascertained within just four hours that its absence posed no danger for Discovery's re-entry.
The shuttle swooped through a slightly cloudy sky and landed at 11:15 a.m., under the control of commander Mark Kelly.
"Beautiful land, Mark, and congratulations on a great mission," Mission Control radioed when Discovery came to a safe stop.
"Great to be back," Kelly replied.
Discovery's mission spanned 14 days, 217 orbits and 5.7 million miles, and was described by NASA as being about as smooth as it gets.
Kelly and his crew accomplished everything they set out to do in orbit. They delivered and installed Japan's Kibo lab, now the space station's biggest room and most sophisticated science workshop, and dropped off a new pump that the two Russians on board used to fix their toilet.
The space station also got a new American resident who took the place of astronaut Garrett Reisman, returning home after 95 days in space.
Reisman's wife, Simone Francis, was waiting at the Kennedy Space Center. Over the past week, Reisman described in quite romantic terms how much he missed her, calling her "my favorite Earthling" and "doll face."
Although the mission itself unfolded almost flawlessly, Discovery left behind a battered launch pad on May 31. Some 5,300 bricks flew off the flame trench when Discovery blasted away, most likely because they were not attached properly to the underlying concrete wall when the pad was built in the 1960s for the Apollo moon shots.
NASA managers are confident the launch pad can be fixed in time for the next shuttle flight in October, by Atlantis to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The next time a shuttle flies to the space station, now three-quarters complete, isn't until November. That's because NASA needs to have a shuttle ready to rush to Atlantis' aid in case of serious damage to its thermal shielding. Atlantis' astronauts will not be able to get from Hubble to the space station for shelter.
NASA had no such rescue plan in place when Columbia took off in 2003 on a solo-flying research mission. In any event, mission managers had no idea Columbia's left wing was severely damaged at liftoff, and the shuttle shattered during re-entry. All seven on board were killed.
Shades of Columbia briefly surfaced Friday when Discovery's astronauts spotted something floating away from their spaceship. It turned out to be a little metal clip that broke off the rudder, and engineers ascertained within just four hours that its absence posed no danger for Discovery's re-entry.
Popular Now in SciTech
- Apple iPad 3 rumors: thicker, sharper, coming soon
- Tesla's Model X: Finally, an electric car we all want
- Retro Duo will play your old Nintendo games
- Obama's 2012 campaign playlist now on Spotify
- iPad 3 mini on the way, says analyst
- Apple iPad 3 rumors resurface, sources say March release
- FBI releases Steve Jobs background report
- Apple iPhone 5 rumors, reports say June release
- Apple faces $1.6 billion iPad trademark lawsuit
- Google developing home entertainment system
- Facebook graffiti artist David Choe, from homeless to millions
- Apple iPad 3 rumors, let's get real
- Hackers release Symantec pcAnywhere source code
- Facebook required for Spotify account, here's a trick
- Happy 50th to computer game Spacewar
- Ethical iPhone 5 petitions head to Apple stores
- Apple supplier Foxconn hit by hackers
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook
on CBS News
- Obama budget seeks to boost trade enforcement
- Obama budget seeks to boost trade enforcement
- Norwegians seek A-ha! moment in North Korean music
- Norwegians seek A-ha! moment in North Korean music
on Facebook
- Adele sings a cappella for Anderson Cooper
- Occupy protestors kicked out of CPAC
- CPAC: Will Sarah Palin spring a surprise?
- Beyonce and Jay-Z post first photos of Blue Ivy Carter
on CBS News
