Discovery starts journey home

[singlepic=92,240,180,,right]The space shuttle Discovery uncoupled itself from the International Space Station (ISS) yesterday, and started its journey home.

Discovery is due to land around 9.15am EDT on Monday, with the deorbit burn (re-entry) set for around 8am EDT. Nasa said weather forecasters predict a chance of showers at the landing site at the Kennedy Space Center, but shouldn’t hinder the landing.

Discovery’s landing will mark the end of a successful mission for the STS-121 astronauts. They delivered supplies, equipment and a new Expedition 13 crew member to the International Space Station.

During three spacewalks, they performed maintenance on the station’s mobile transporter and tested orbiter heat shield techniques.