Space Shuttle Discovery Leaves Space Station For Journey Home

They resupplied the space station and delivered new items such as the COLBERT treadmill. They also completed three spacewalks to do repairs on the space station and to prepare the space station for the installation of the Tranquility Node next year.

Before flying away from the space station, the Discovery crew will fly around the space station so that video can be taken to inspect for damage and overall condition. After the fly over is complete then Discovery will move away from the space station and do one final inspections with its cameras of its heat shields.

Aboard Discovery is the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistic Module in the cargo bay.

Also aboard is the Discovery crew that consists of Commander Rick "CJ" Sturckow and Pilot Kevin Ford. Also aboard are the Mission Specialists Jose Hernandez, Pat Forrester, Danny Olivas, Christer Fuglesang and Tim Kopra.

Kopra is the new member of the Discovery crew for the return trip home. He was replaced on the space station by Nicole Stott. Kopra has been stationed on the space station since mid-July. Stott is scheduled to stay on the space station till November.

Discovery is scheduled to come back to Earth on Thursday, September 10th. If the weather permits, Discovery will complete its 13 day mission around 7 pm with a landing back home at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.