As Discovery Heads Home, NASA Prepares for Landing
from Space.comAs Discovery Heads Home, NASA Prepares for Landing
Flight controllers are watching the weather for Discovery’s return to Earth Monday and are planning alternate landing sites should rain storms in Florida prevent the early-morning touchdown, mission managers said Saturday.
Discovery’s only landing target Monday is NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Florida, where it launched spaceward on July 26. While the orbiter is slated to land at 4:46 a.m. EDT (0746 GMT) on Aug. 8, it could also land 5:21 a.m. EDT (0921 GMT) if whether weather prevents the initial attempt.
Both KSC and a contingency runway at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California will be on call Tuesday if needed, shuttle officials said, adding that a third airstrip in White Sands, New Mexico is also a landing option.
Current weather predictions at KSC call for light and variable winds, a few scattered clouds and a slight chance of rain during the predawn hours of Discovery’s landing opportunities, they added.
"That’s about as good a forecast as you’re going to get in Florida, but I have high hopes," said Wayne Hale, NASA’s deputy shuttle program manager, during a press briefing here at Johnson Space Center. "You don’t commit until it’s time to de-orbit."
Just a little update. I wish these guys good a safe landing.
[Listening to: 12-EarthCore-Chapters23-24 - Scott Sigler - (50:13)]
posted by scifirantergirl @ 7:27 PM
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