News From Space!

STS-116 Post-Landing Press Conference scheduled for no earlier than 7:30PM EST. Watch live on NASA TV.

Discovery’s crew is still aboard, having completed a successful mission to the International Space Station. At the Shuttle Landing Facility, safing of the Orbiter continues. NASA reports:

STS-116 Home for the Holidays; Discovery Lands in Florida

Space Shuttle Discovery landed safely at 5:32 p.m. EST at Kennedy Space Center to bring STS-116’s successful mission to the International Space Station to an end. The STS-116 astronauts continued the on-orbit construction of the station and delivered a new Expedition 14 crew member.

Discovery launched on Dec. 9 and arrived at the station on the 11th. The STS-116 crew installed the P5 spacer truss segment during the first of four spacewalks. Spacewalkers rewired the station’s power system during the second and third spacewalks, leaving it in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was added to allow the crew to retract solar arrays that had folded improperly.

Discovery also delivered a new crew member and more than two tons of equipment and supplies to the station, most of which were located in the SPACEHAB cargo module. Almost two tons of items no longer needed on the station returned to Earth with STS-116.

Discovery spent almost 13 days in space and traveled 5.3 milion statute miles. STS-116 was the 117th space shuttle flight and 33rd by Discovery. STS-116 also was the 20th shuttle mission to visit the space station.

STS-117 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March.

Landing video here. Pics here.

Discovery is home after a 5:32PM EST landing!

The 225,000-pound Discovery orbiter is heading towards a sunset landing at at KSC. NASA reports:

Flight Controllers Go With Kennedy Space Center Landing Site
STS-116 Commander Mark Polansky fired Discovery’s jets at 4:26 p.m. EST to begin the descent to Kennedy Space Center for a 5:32 p.m. landing.

When Discovery lands, it will bring to an end a successful mission to the International Space Station. While at the station, the STS-116 crew continued the construction of the outpost with the addition of the P5 spacer truss segment during the first of four spacewalks. The next two spacewalks rewired the station’s power system, leaving it in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was added to allow the crew to retract solar arrays that had folded improperly.

Stay tuned…

Discovery is heading home to Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Three more chances to land today. Looks like we might be headin’ out West. NASA reports:

Flight Controllers Wave Off First Landing Opportunity

Unstable weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., forced flight controllers to pass on Space Shuttle Discovery’s first landing opportunity of the day. The STS-116 crew and flight controllers have turned their attention to a set of three opportunities on the next orbit, number 203.

The opportunities on orbit 203 are at 5:32 p.m. EST at Kennedy, 5:27 at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and 5:27 p.m. at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

Flight controllers and forecasters will continue to monitor weather at all three sites. If weather does not cooperate, on orbit 203, two opportunities are available on orbit 204 – 7 p.m. at Edwards and 7:02 at White Sands. One opportunity is possible on orbit 205 – 8:36 p.m. at Edwards.

Flight Day 13 Pics are up at the JSC Gallery.

Trying for Kennedy?

Shuttle Payload Bay Doors Close for Landing

The STS-116 crew closed Space Shuttle Discovery’s payload bay doors about 12:13 p.m. EST in preparation for a 3:56 p.m. landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

If flight controllers elect to take this landing opportunity, Commander Mark Polansky will fire Discovery’s jets to begin the descent to Kennedy at 2:49 p.m.

All three landing sites have been activated today due to forecasts of questionable weather at Kennedy and Edwards Air Force Base in California. The forecast for the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico is favorable.

Six more opportunities are available today if flight controllers pass on the first. The last opportunity at Kennedy is at 5:32 p.m. Three exist at Edwards – 5:27 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:36 p.m. Two are available at White Sands – 5:27 p.m. and 7:02 p.m.

The STS-116 crew is returning home after a successful mission to the International Space Station. While at the station, the crew continued the construction of the outpost with the addition of the P5 spacer truss segment during the first of four spacewalks. The next two spacewalks rewired the station’s power system, leaving it in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was added to allow the crew to retract solar arrays that had folded improperly.

Discovery also delivered a new crew member and more than two tons of equipment and supplies to the station, most of which were located in the SPACEHAB cargo module. Almost two tons of items no longer needed on the station are returning to Earth with STS-116. 

Discovery’s mission is scheduled to wrap up today - but where? White Sands might be the best bet. NASA reports: 

Crew Looks to Touch Down Today

Landing day has arrived for the Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven astronauts. Seven opportunities are available today, with the first at 3:56 p.m. EST at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

All three shuttle landing sites will be activated today due to unfavorable weather forecasts at Kennedy and Edwards Air Force Base in California. Weather is forecast to be favorable at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

The last opportunity at Kennedy is at 5:32 p.m. Three exist at Edwards – 5:27 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:36 p.m. Two are available at White Sands – 5:27 p.m. and 7:02 p.m. Landing opportunities also are available Saturday at all three sites.

The STS-116 crew is returning home after a successful mission to the International Space Station. While at the station, the crew continued the construction of the outpost with the addition of the P5 spacer truss segment during the first of four spacewalks. The next two spacewalks rewired the station’s power system, leaving it in a permanent setup. A fourth spacewalk was added to allow the crew to retract solar arrays that had folded improperly.

Discovery also delivered a new crew member and more than two tons of equipment and supplies to the station, most of which were located in the SPACEHAB cargo module. Almost two tons of items no longer needed on the station are returning to Earth with STS-116.

Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV. Landing ground tracks here.