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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Discovery shuttle returns safely | Discovery shuttle returns safely |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Space shuttle Discovery has landed in Florida after an eventful 15-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). | Space shuttle Discovery has landed in Florida after an eventful 15-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). |
| The crew touched down at 1301 ET (1801 GMT) at the Kennedy Space Center. | The crew touched down at 1301 ET (1801 GMT) at the Kennedy Space Center. |
| During their time at the orbiting outpost, the shuttle's crew delivered a new unit, dropped off a new resident and completed a series of spacewalks. | During their time at the orbiting outpost, the shuttle's crew delivered a new unit, dropped off a new resident and completed a series of spacewalks. |
| During one of the spacewalks, a rip was discovered in one of the ISS's solar panels but was later repaired. | During one of the spacewalks, a rip was discovered in one of the ISS's solar panels but was later repaired. |
| During its 60-minute descent back to Earth, Discovery would have reached speeds of up to 30 times the speed of sound. | During its 60-minute descent back to Earth, Discovery would have reached speeds of up to 30 times the speed of sound. |
| How the shuttle returns | |
| When ground control gave the green light for the shuttle to return, commander Pam Melroy fired the craft's engines in a two-minute "deorbit burn" at 1259 local time (1659 GMT) to slow its speed. | When ground control gave the green light for the shuttle to return, commander Pam Melroy fired the craft's engines in a two-minute "deorbit burn" at 1259 local time (1659 GMT) to slow its speed. |
| Earlier, Nasa officials reported no damage to the shuttle's insulation tiles that protected the orbiter from temperatures of up to 1,649C (3,000F) as it re-entered the atmosphere. | |
| The orbiter undertook several steep banking manoeuvers during its return to help slow it down to its landing speed of about 220 mph (350 km/h). | |
| Solar scare | Solar scare |
| The STS-120 mission brought up the Harmony module from Earth. It is a passageway that will link present and future science laboratories on the orbiting outpost. | The STS-120 mission brought up the Harmony module from Earth. It is a passageway that will link present and future science laboratories on the orbiting outpost. |
| An unscheduled spacewalk was needed to repair the solar array | An unscheduled spacewalk was needed to repair the solar array |
| Harmony was fitted to a temporary berth during one of the four spacewalks carried out during Discovery's stay. The module will be moved to its permanent position on the ISS structure next week. | Harmony was fitted to a temporary berth during one of the four spacewalks carried out during Discovery's stay. The module will be moved to its permanent position on the ISS structure next week. |
| During the third spacewalk, the crews repositioned a huge girder and solar array tower, only to find a rip in one of the wings of the energy-collecting unit. | During the third spacewalk, the crews repositioned a huge girder and solar array tower, only to find a rip in one of the wings of the energy-collecting unit. |
| With advice from ground engineers, the crews were able to work up a repair solution that involved dangling spacewalker Scott Parazynski out over the split panel to lash the damaged area together. | With advice from ground engineers, the crews were able to work up a repair solution that involved dangling spacewalker Scott Parazynski out over the split panel to lash the damaged area together. |
| The repair meant the crews were able to fully deploy the solar array. | The repair meant the crews were able to fully deploy the solar array. |
| In graphics: Space Station | In graphics: Space Station |
| The dramatic spacewalk has allowed the US space agency to press on with plans to launch its Atlantis orbiter in December. | The dramatic spacewalk has allowed the US space agency to press on with plans to launch its Atlantis orbiter in December. |
| This is the high-profile mission that will bring Europe's major contribution to the ISS - its Columbus laboratory. This will be fitted to the Harmony node. | This is the high-profile mission that will bring Europe's major contribution to the ISS - its Columbus laboratory. This will be fitted to the Harmony node. |
| Once undocked, Discovery flew around the station to film its new configuration. | Once undocked, Discovery flew around the station to film its new configuration. |
| It is returning to Earth with ISS resident Clayton Anderson, who has spent five months on the platform. His place has been taken Daniel Tani, who came up with Discovery to start a two-month tour. | It is returning to Earth with ISS resident Clayton Anderson, who has spent five months on the platform. His place has been taken Daniel Tani, who came up with Discovery to start a two-month tour. |