[sarex] DISCOVERY IS HOME AT KSC

["ARTHUR Z. ROWE" <N1ORC@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

The Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery successfully landed at the Shuttle 
Landing Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Discovery, riding 
piggy-back on the modified Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), made a sweep 
of the Brevard County beaches as it circled for a landing, giving 
residents a birds-eye view of the duo.

Cheers from media and Kennedy Space Center employees erupted when the 
747's wheels touched down. Landing on Runway 15, the vehicle came to a 
stop where it was then towed to the Mate/Demate Device (MDD) at the SLF. 
During the next few hours Discovery will be lifted off the 747. The 
vehicle will be backed-out and the orbiter will be gently lowered to the 
runway on its landing gear.

On Monday, the Discovery will be towed by a diesel-powered tractor to 
the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) via a two-mile tow-way strip from 
the SLF. Once inside the OPF the payload bay doors will be opened and 
the materials brought back from the International Space Station will be 
unloaded. After Discovery is inside the processing facility, Mission 
STS-114 will then be completed.

Space Shuttle Discovery is slated for Mission STS-121 in March, 2006.
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