Space Shuttle Discovery Makes Final Return to Earth Wednesday

NASA - STS-133 Mission patch.

7 March 2011

Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to return to Earth for the final time on Wednesday, March 9, completing a 13-day mission to outfit the International Space Station. If Discovery lands Wednesday, it will have spent a total of 365 days in space and traveled more than 148 million miles during 39 flights. It launched on its first mission on Aug. 30, 1984.

Space shuttle Discovery performs its flyaround of the International Space Station as both spacecraft orbit over the Sahara Desert

After touchdown, the astronauts will undergo routine physical examinations and meet with their families. The crew may participate in a post-landing news conference about 6.5 hours after landing. The news events will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

The Kennedy news center will open for landing activities at 8 a.m. Wednesday and remain open until 11 p.m. because of shuttle Endeavour's 8 p.m. rollout to Launch Pad 39A. Endeavour is targeted to launch April 19 on the STS-134 mission to the space station.

STS-133 Flyaround

 

The STS-133 media badges are in effect through landing. The media accreditation building on State Road 3 will be open from 7 to 10 a.m. Wednesday. The last bus will depart from the news center for the Shuttle Landing Facility one hour before landing.

The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission and landing. To follow, visit: http://www.twitter.com/nasa

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For the latest information about the STS-133 mission and accomplishments, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For more information about the space station and its crew, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station

Images, Video, Text, Credit: NASA / NAS TV / MCC.

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