Discovery beats the rain and makes Florida return

by Stevie Smith - Apr 21 2010, 06:10

After poor weather conditions in Florida prevented Monday’s scheduled return to Earth, the space shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven astronauts safely touched down at the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday morning.

Successfully ending mission STS-131 to the International Space Station (ISS), shuttle commander Alan Poindexter brought Discovery home at just after 0900 EDT (1300 GMT), completing a rare re-entry procedure that saw the stalwart orbiter streaking through the early morning skies across much of North America.

“Congratulations to you and your crew on an outstanding mission,” exclaimed NASA’s Mission Control as Discovery’s wheels touched the runway of the Shuttle Landing Facility.

“It was a great mission,” replied Commander Poindexter, “The International Space Station is stocked up again.”

Returning with Cmdr Poindexter were pilot James Dutton, Japanese astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, and mission specialists Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, Rick Mastracchio and Clayton Anderson.

During the 15-day mission, Discovery and her crew re-supplied the ISS with new sleeping quarters, a fresh ammonia tank, and a selection of equipment racks.

Only three more shuttle missions remain on NASA’s flight schedule before the fleet is officially retired at the end of 2010.

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