Discovery has fired her OMS engines and is headed for a landing at KSC’s Runway 15. NASA reports:
Discovery Headed Home
Image above: A graphic representation of space shuttle Discovery’s re-entry path. Photo credit: NASA› Share your comments about the mission
Commander Mark Kelly performed the deorbit burn at 10:10 a.m. EDT to begin space shuttle Discovery’s descent to Kennedy Space Center for landing. Discovery is expected to land at 11:15 a.m. on runway 15 at the shuttle landing facility.
The STS-124 crew arrived at the International Space Station June 2, delivering the second component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and a new Expedition 17 crew member – Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff – to the station. Chamitoff took the place of Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who is returning to Earth as a member of the Discovery crew.
STS-124 is the 123rd shuttle mission and 26th shuttle flight to visit the space station.
Live chat at Bad Astronomy. Discussions at Nasaspaceflight. Official NASA landing blog here.
Mission pics from Florida Today and CF13News. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.