Post date: Mar 09, 2011 8:48:11 PM
The space shuttle Discovery capped a 13-day spaceflight on Wednesday, and ended a 27-year flying career for the world's most-traveled spaceship. Jon Decker reports.
USA-SHUTTLE LANDS - With commander Steven Lindsey at the controls, the space shuttle Discovery capped a 13-day spaceflight on Wednesday, and ended a 27-year flying career for NASA's most-traveled spaceship.
Just before noon local time, Discovery touched down at Florida's Kennedy Space Center to conclude a cargo run and construction mission at the International Space Station.
Discovery accumulated a full year in orbit over 39 missions and will now be prepared for display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
After two other shuttle missions -- one by Endeavor and another by Atlantis-- the U.S. is ending the 30-year-old shuttle program in late June due to high operating costs.
Jon Decker, Reuters.