Discovery lands at Kennedy Space Center
{{date|July 18, 2006}}

[[Image:Landing of Space Shuttle Discovery.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Discovery touches down at the [[w:John F. Kennedy Space Center|John F. Kennedy Space Center]] in Cape Canaveral]]

Space shuttle [[w:Discovery|Discovery]] landed at [[w:Cape Canaveral|Cape Canaveral]] at 9:14 a.m. (1314 UTC) yesterday. It returned after a thirteen day mission to the [[w:International Space Station|International Space Station]] (ISS). 

The [[w:STS-121|mission]] was used to provide thousands of pounds of supplies to the ISS and brought thousands of pounds of trash and discarded equipment back to Earth.

The shuttle, which was orbiting the Earth with the engine facing forward, fired the engines briefly to slow down and begin the descent, flipping its nose forward to prepare for the landing.

As Discovery descended into the atmosphere, parts of the shuttle's outer surfaces were heated to temperatures of about 3000°F (1650°C). 
The shuttle executed a series of computer controlled ''S curves'' to slow down to the landing speed.

The shuttle neared the landing strip at an angle 7 times steeper and a speed 20 times faster than a commercial aircraft.

The space shuttle was welcomed by hoots and whistles from the few hundred astronauts' relatives and space center workers as it landed on the 3 mile (4.8 kilometre) long runway

"It was a fun entry — it was beautiful," radioed mission commander [[w:Steven W. Lindsey|Colonel Lindsey]] as he prepared to leave the shuttle.

"Just because we’re going to be back to flight doesn't mean we're going to change the way we're operating," he said. "We're going to be very careful, very cautious, look at everything — and we'll leave no stone unturned as we continue with this program."

This is the second space shuttle flight since the [[w:Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Columbia disaster]].

A further 16 shuttle missions are scheduled for completing the space station before the fleet is retired in 2010.

“This shows that with appropriate care and vigilance, the odds of operating the shuttle with acceptable risk are good,” said John M. Logsdon, the director of the space policy institute at George Washington University.

“It doesn’t mean the shuttle is safe,” he added. “The shuttle will remain a very risky vehicle, to be operated with extreme care.”

==Related news==
*{{wikinews|title=Space Shuttle Discovery launches for mission STS-121|date=July 4, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=NASA to launch Discovery despite crack in insulation foam|date=July 4, 2006}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2006-07-17T163739Z_01_N05357297_RTRUKOC_0_US-SPACE-SHUTTLE.xml&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage2
|title=Shuttle lands in Florida after 13-day mission
|author=Deborah Zabarenko and Irene Klotz|pub=Reuters|date=July 17, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/welcome-back-discovery/2006/07/17/1152988474761.html
|title=Welcome back Discovery
|author=Associated Press|pub=Sydney Morning Herald|date=July 18,2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/17/science/space/17cnd-shuttle.html?ei=5087%0A&en=471c57b7f91614ee&ex=1153281600&pagewanted=all
|title=Shuttle Safely Returns to Cape Canaveral
|author=John Schwartz|pub=The New York Times|date=July 17, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/jul/HQ_06280_Discovery_lands.html
|title=NASA Welcomes Space Shuttle Crew Back to Earth
|author=Katherine Trinidad & Tracy Young|pub=Nasa|date=July 17, 2006}}
{{Publish}}
{{Archive-unreviewed}}

[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Science and technology]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:International Space Station]]
[[Category:NASA]]
[[Category:Space Shuttle Discovery]]

[[de:Raumfähre „Discovery“ zur Erde zurückgekehrt]]
[[fr:La navette Discovery se pose à Cap Canaveral]]
[[pl:Prom Discovery wylądował. Misja STS-121 zakończona]]
[[ru:Шаттл успешно приземлился]]
John F. Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral

Space shuttle Discovery landed at Cape Canaveral at 9:14 a.m. (1314 UTC) yesterday. It returned after a thirteen day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). 

The mission was used to provide thousands of pounds of supplies to the ISS and brought thousands of pounds of trash and discarded equipment back to Earth.

The shuttle, which was orbiting the Earth with the engine facing forward, fired the engines briefly to slow down and begin the descent, flipping its nose forward to prepare for the landing.

As Discovery descended into the atmosphere, parts of the shuttle's outer surfaces were heated to temperatures of about 3000°F (1650°C). 
The shuttle executed a series of computer controlled S curves to slow down to the landing speed.

The shuttle neared the landing strip at an angle 7 times steeper and a speed 20 times faster than a commercial aircraft.

The space shuttle was welcomed by hoots and whistles from the few hundred astronauts' relatives and space center workers as it landed on the 3 mile (4.8 kilometre) long runway

"It was a fun entry — it was beautiful," radioed mission commander Colonel Lindsey as he prepared to leave the shuttle.

"Just because we’re going to be back to flight doesn't mean we're going to change the way we're operating," he said. "We're going to be very careful, very cautious, look at everything — and we'll leave no stone unturned as we continue with this program."

This is the second space shuttle flight since the Columbia disaster.

A further 16 shuttle missions are scheduled for completing the space station before the fleet is retired in 2010.

“This shows that with appropriate care and vigilance, the odds of operating the shuttle with acceptable risk are good,” said John M. Logsdon, the director of the space policy institute at George Washington University.

“It doesn’t mean the shuttle is safe,” he added. “The shuttle will remain a very risky vehicle, to be operated with extreme care.”
Space Science and technology United States North America International Space Station NASA Space Shuttle Discovery