Discovery undocks, heads for home

Posted on: Aug. 6th, 2005 || Source: cnn.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Texas (CNN) -- The Discovery shuttle undocked from the International Space Station early Saturday after more than a week, the first step in its journey back to Earth.

After separating from the station, the shuttle crew planned to fly around it at a distance of 400 feet (130 meters) and take pictures.

A final separation burn will then move Discovery away from the station.

The shuttle will continue to orbit the Earth, NASA said, until it lands Monday at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

During the joint operations with the space station, crews transferred supplies and equipment.

NASA managers decided Thursday that the shuttle is safe to return home after determining that a torn thermal blanket poses little or no risk to the spacecraft's re-entry, and opting against a spacewalk to to fix it.

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