http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle en-us Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:52:55 GMT
"We're very happy to be back on land here in California. We wish we could have gotten to Florida today and gotten to see our families down there, but it just didn't work out with the weather," Sturckow said, adding that the crew is doing great and that returning International Space Station crew member Tim Kopra is participating in some medical science experiments.

Sturckow also thanked the Kennedy team who prepared Discovery as well as the instructors and flight controllers in Houston who assisted with the STS-128 mission.]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:49:29 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:39:29 GMT
The astronauts all are off the shuttle, which sits on the runway under a dimming sky lit by a California sunset after landing on Runway 22 at 8:53 tonight.]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:15:42 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:55:16 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:30:22 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:13:30 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:06:35 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:05:55 GMT
Main gear touchdown: Mission elapsed time of 13 days, 20 hours, 53 minutes and 45 seconds, or 8:53:25 p.m. EDT.

Nose gear touchdown: Mission elapsed time of 13 days, 20 hours, 53 minutes and 54 seconds, or 8:53:34 p.m. EDT.

Wheelstop: Mission elapsed time of 13 days, 20 hours, 54 minutes and 55 seconds, or 8:54:35 p.m. EDT.]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:04:19 GMT
Welcoming his colleagues back to Earth, CAPCOM Eric Boe congratulated the crew on their mission to step up the science on the International Space Station.

Next, the landing convoy will swarm the runway and surround Discovery as landing support personnel begin their work. It will take some time for the astronauts on board to finish their work, remove their suits and exit the orbiter to begin a round of preliminary medical checks.]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:55:30 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:53:42 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:53:34 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:53:23 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:50:53 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:50:17 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:46:22 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:44:08 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:42:21 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:36:25 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:34:03 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:29:40 GMT
Time to touchdown 31 minutes. All of Discovery's systems are in good shape, and the runway approach is still under debate in mission control.]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:23:03 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:20:31 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:18:08 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:10:42 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:07:48 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:02:27 GMT Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:40 GMT
With the deorbit burn complete, Sturckow and Ford next will turn Discovery into entry position, facing forward and angled slightly to allow the orbiter's underside to absorb the heat of re-entry.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:51:17 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:48:03 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:45:22 GMT
It's a gorgeous afternoon at Edwards Air Force Base, according to mission control. Light winds, scattered clouds and very calm conditions will greet Discovery when it touches down on the high desert runway at 8:53 p.m., 5:53 p.m. Pacific time.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:44:14 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:38:10 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:35:54 GMT
The burn is set to begin 7:47 p.m.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:29:55 GMT
Flight controllers are still discussing runway selection options based on winds at Edwards, but Discovery and crew are go to begin their ride home in about 36 minutes.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:12:03 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:05:13 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:50:10 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:40:04 GMT
Weather still is cooperating at the Southern California landing site. The Spaceflight Meteorology Group is evaluating the winds, and astronaut Scott Altman has been flying approaches to Runway 22 in the Shuttle Training Aircraft to judge how Discovery will handle the local conditions during landing. But overall, conditions are favorable for touchdown tonight at 8:53 p.m.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:37:01 GMT
The 12-inch Disney/Pixar action figure has been in space for more than a year, with most of that time spent aboard the International Space Station. He launched aboard Discovery in May 2008 along with the STS-124 crew.

Lightyear's adventure was part of NASA's Toys in Space project. In this case, it's a joint education initiative between NASA and Disney Parks to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology and mathematics.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:21:35 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:14:17 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:38:35 GMT
Deorbit targets have been loaded into Discovery's onboard computers and deorbit preparations continue smoothly today. Again, that burn is scheduled for 7:47 p.m.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:10:58 GMT
Astronauts also transferred seven-and-a-half tons of equipment to the station from the Leonardo supply module, including science and storage racks, a new sleeping compartment, an air purification system and a new treadmill. The Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, or COLBERT, is named after TV show host Stephen Colbert.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:54:27 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:36:21 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:15:04 GMT Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:01:13 GMT
Stay with NASA's Landing Blog as the seven astronauts aboard Discovery embark on the journey home.]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:45:06 GMT