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The seven astronauts returning from ISS on board space
shuttle Discovery completed final preparations Tuesday for their return home
with landing planned for the first of two opportunities to the Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., at 1:02 p.m. EST Wednesday, NASA said.
Weather conditions appeared favorable for the scheduled
landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery on Wednesday, NASA officials added.
It seems like weather would not be a problem after a cold
front passes through late Tuesday.
On a visit to the International Space Station that began
October 25, the Discovery crew conducted four spacewalks, installing a new
Italian-made module and moving a solar panel. The ISS crew will now move the
Harmony module to its permanent position to make way for further expansion of
the station.
In preparation for the return home, the crew tested flight
control systems and thruster jets, stowed equipment and installed a special
reclining seat for Clay Anderson, who is returning after more than five months
on board the International Space Station.
Wednesday morning, Entry Team Flight Director Bryan Lunney
and his team will oversee Discovery’s reentry and landing with the deorbit burn
set for 11:59 a.m. The 1 minute, 58 second burn will slow Discovery by 148
miles per hour (217 feet per second) for the reentry.
NASA is also ready for a second landing opportunity and Lunney
will consider Florida
only for Wednesday’s landing attempts.
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