NASA controllers at the Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center have told the crew of Discovery that they will be landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Currently, NASA has officially delayed the landing until 1:13pm UK time. The Kennedy Space Center in Florida has not managed to clear bad weather in the area to allow a landing at the home of the fleet. De-Orbit Burn is a go.
Discovery’s payload bay doors are closed, as they hoped the Orbiter continued on the timeline, should weather clear. However, at 7:20am, CAPCOM noted to the crew that their optimism was on the slide.
“The First opportunity shows we are to have rain showers,” the crew were told. “It’s not looking great for the first opportunity”
“However, we’d like to continue with the timeline, before we make an official call on the opportunity.”
That was followed by a second call off for a landing at KSC, leaving them to fix a time of 1:13pm UK time for a landing at Edwards.
The other option still available, White Sands – only ever previously used by Columbia on STS-3 – is still available to NASA.
NASA gave the go for a de-orbit burn to begin on time for the 1:13pm UK time landing at Edwards at 11:45am UK time. The burn – which will last for around three minutes will begin at midday UK time.
Orbit De-Orbit Burn Landing Site
217…..04:05 AM…..05:08 AM…Kennedy Space Center – CALLED OFF
218…..05:37 AM…..06:39 AM…White Sands, NM – CALLED OFF
218…..05:41 AM…..06:43 AM…Kennedy Space Center – CALLED OFF
219…..07:11 AM…..08:13 AM…Edwards AFB, CA – CONFIRMED
219…..07:13 AM…..08:14 AM…White Sands, NM – NOT REQUIRED
220…..08:47 AM…..09:48 AM…Edwards AFB, CA – NOT REQUIRED
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