Top Stories Discovery back on Earth Space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew landed safely today at Edwards Air Force Base in California to conclude a highly succesful mission that added new building blocks to the international space station.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER    VIDEO: DISCOVERY TOUCHES DOWN    VIDEO: DISCOVERY TOUCHES DOWN    VIDEO: SHUTTLE TURNS TO FINAL APPROACH    VIDEO: ALTERNATE VIEW OF LANDING Bad weather on both U.S. coasts keeps Discovery aloft For the second day running bad weather forced space shuttle Discovery to remain in orbit on Monday. High crosswinds at Kennedy Space Center and low clouds and rain at the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California kept Discovery from returning to Earth. NASA will try again Tuesday.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 23] Recent News Crosswinds keep Discovery in space until Monday With crosswinds gusting to nearly 20 knots, NASA was forced to delay the shuttle Discovery's planned return to Earth Sunday by at least 24 hours. Even worse weather is expected at the Kennedy Space Center on Monday, raising the prospect of a diversion to California or, more likely, yet another mission extension to Tuesday.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 22] Astronauts set to bring Discovery home on Sunday Keeping tabs on high winds in Florida, the Discovery astronauts tested the shuttle's re-entry systems, packed up loose gear and squeezed in a final bit of "window time" today as they set their sights on landing Sunday at the Kennedy Space Center.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 21] Shuttle leaves station, crew talks to Spaceflight Now The Discovery astronauts undocked from the international space station on Friday, wrapping up a successful mission to ready the complex for delivery of a huge set of solar arrays in December and its main laboratory module in January. Spaceflight Now's William Harwood interviewed the astronauts a short time later.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 20]    VIDEO: WATCH THE INTERVIEW    INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT Shuttle crew wraps up four grueling days of spacewalks Two high-flying astronauts zoomed about over the shuttle Discovery's cargo bay Wednesday, successfully testing emergency jetpacks designed to serve as a lifeline for any space station assembly workers who might someday slip free of his or her safety tether.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 18]    VIDEO: WISOFF TAKES TEST FLIGHT    VIDEO: LOPEZ-ALEGRIA TAKES HIS TURN    VIDEO: VIEW WITH STATION AND EARTH    SPACEWALK PREVIEW STORY Shuttle booster bolts did not separate cleanly Two of eight bolts that held the space shuttle Discovery to its launch pad failed to separate cleanly during last week's blast off. Although slight damage was caused to the base of Discovery's right-hand solid rocket booster, the mishap did not endanger the astronauts and is not considered serious.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 18] Astronauts set the stage for more power aboard station Two spacewalkers installed a pair of transformer-like devices aboard the international space station Tuesday that will step down and regulate the voltage produced by a huge set of solar arrays scheduled for installation in December.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 17]    SPACEWALK PREVIEW Space station expands to include new docking port In a well-oiled team effort, the Discovery astronauts successfully attached a new $20 million shuttle docking port to the international space station Monday after getting off to a slightly rocky start.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 16]    AN ASTRONAUT'S FRIENDLY REVENGE    SPACEWALK PREVIEW    ANIMATION OF DOCKING PORT ATTACHMENT Discovery's launch revisited Spaceflight Now presents a series of images from Wednesday's spectacular evening launch of space shuttle Discovery and previously unseen video clips from cameras at launch complex 39A.    PHOTO GALLERY    VIDEO: REAR VIEW OF LAUNCH (220k)    VIDEO: LIFTOFF IN CLOSE UP (161k)    VIDEO: FRONT VIEW OF LIFTOFF (341k) Shuttle astronauts score spacewalk success Astronauts Leroy Chiao and William McArthur pulled off a near perfect spacewalk Sunday, wiring up the international space station's new truss, deploying its main antenna and stowing tools for use by future assembly teams.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 15]    VIDEO: ANTENNA DEPLOYED (282k)    EXCITED FIRST-TIME SPACEWALKER    SPACEWALK PREVIEW STORY New framework added to international space station After recovering from a potentially crippling short circuit, the Discovery astronauts today successfully attached a $273 million structural truss to the international space station to accomplish one of the primary goals of the 100th shuttle mission.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 14]    DAILY PREVIEW STORY    ANIMATION OF Z1 TRUSS ATTACHMENT Discovery links up with international space station Streaking through space at five miles per second, the shuttle Discovery gently docked with the international space station on Friday as the two spacecraft sailed 240 miles above Ukraine. Commander Brian Duffy had no problems pulling off an on-time linkup, despite the loss of Discovery's rendezvous radar.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 13]    DOCKING TIMELINE    VIDEO OF DOCKING & STATION ENTRY Discovery's TV downlink antenna on the blink The failure today of the shuttle Discovery's primary television and rendezvous radar antenna will not prevent the crew from safely docking with the international space station Friday as planned. But the loss will make the final rendezvous sequence slightly more complex while the loss of KU-band TV coverage means the linkup won't be seen live.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 12] Camera shows what it's like to launch aboard shuttle The Discovery astronauts have downlinked dramatic video recorded from inside the cockpit of the space shuttle, showing the jerking and shaking of launch and a surprising light show produced by the ship's main engine exhaust plume as the spacecraft left the atmosphere. (Includes images and video)    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 11] Discovery lifts off on station assembly flight The space shuttle Discovery lifted off Wednesday on its oft-delayed space station assembly mission. The winged spaceship vaulted from its Florida launch pad at 7:17 p.m. EDT (2317 GMT), soon after sunset. See our status center for the latest on the mission.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 11] Prelaunch coverage Stray metal pin keeps shuttle grounded Clearly frustrated, NASA managers Tuesday ordered a fourth launch delay for the hard-luck shuttle Discovery after engineers spotted a small but potentially dangerous metal pin lodged in an inaccessible area at the base of the ship's external fuel tank.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 10]    VIDEO: LAUNCH SCRUBBED    VIDEO: NASA DESCRIBES PIN High winds scrub shuttle Discovery's launch After weekend work to resolve two technical issues, the hard-luck shuttle Discovery was grounded again Monday, this time by high winds at the launch pad that prevented engineers from completing preparations to fuel the ship for take off.    FULL STORY[Posted: Oct. 9] Shuttle bolt issue resolved, now crosswinds a concern NASA managers today cleared the repaired Discovery for a delayed launch attempt Monday evening to kick off the 100th shuttle flight, the most complex space station assembly mission yet. But forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of high crosswinds could prompt another delay.    FULL STORY[Posted: Oct. 8]    MISSION STATUS CENTER New fuel valve installed aboard shuttle Discovery Shuttle technicians have successfully removed and replaced a faulty vibration-suppression fuel valve inside Discovery's aft engine compartment. The valve trouble caused NASA to delay the 100th shuttle mission to Monday.    MISSION STATUS CENTER Replacement of shock absorbing fuel valve begins NASA managers say work to replace a sluggish valve in the shuttle Discovery's engine compartment should be complete by late today, setting the stage for a delayed launch attempt at 8:05 p.m. Monday. But that assumes ongoing assessment work with a suspect bolt can be resolved by Monday morning.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 6] Suspect valve delays 100th shuttle launch till Monday The launch of space shuttle Discovery has been postponed until Monday night so workers can replace a suspect valve in the craft's aft engine compartment, NASA officials decided Thursday night.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 6] Fuel tank bolt concern scuttles shuttle launch Launch of shuttle Discovery on a space station assembly mission has been delayed at least one day - and possibly longer - because of concern about a suspect bolt in the ship's external fuel tank. A second technical problem is also being reviewed.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 5]    SEE THE SUSPECT BOLT    VIDEO: DELAY ANNOUNCED (220k file) Weather picture still iffy for Thursday's shuttle launch Shuttle Discovery's countdown continues to tick smoothly toward blastoff Thursday night. The only concern remains the possibility of showers that could cause a delay. Meteorologists are giving a 60 percent "go" forecast.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 4] NASA counts down to launch with eye on weather With the shuttle Discovery's countdown underway, forecasters are predicting marginally acceptable weather for launch Thursday night. There are no technical problems of any significance at pad 39A and officials said today weather is the only concern as the agency gears up for its 100th shuttle mission.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 3] Tropical weather wild card in shuttle launch plans With Discovery scheduled for liftoff Thursday night on the 100th shuttle flight, NASA managers are assessing the progress of Hurricane Keith and its possible impact on operations at both the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Johnson Space Center south of Houston.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 2] Astronauts fly to Cape for Thursday's shuttle launch The shuttle Discovery's international crew, clearly eager to take off on a critical space station construction mission, flew to the Kennedy Space Center Sunday evening to prepare for blastoff Thursday on the 100th shuttle flight.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 1] Mission Preview 100th shuttle flight packed with dramatic space work The shuttle Discovery is poised for blastoff Oct. 5 on the 100th shuttle mission, a high stakes flight to mount an 18,400-pound truss housing four stabilizing gyroscopes and critical electronic gear on the international space station. Learn all about the mission in our five-part preview.    FULL REPORT Crew Commander: Brian Duffy Pilot: Pamela Melroy MS1/EV1: Leroy Chiao MS2/FE/EV2: William McArthur MS3/EV3: Peter "Jeff" Wisoff MS4/EV4: Michael Lopez-Alegria MS5/RMS: Koichi Wakata    THE CREW - includes full bios Related stories Station living quarters hit by battery breakdowns As NASA readies shuttle Discovery for launch Thursday on a space station assembly mission, Russian engineers are troubleshooting yet another perplexing battery failure in the station's new Zvezda command module.    FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 4] Next shuttle launch hinges on reusing spacesuit parts Running out of time, NASA plans to cannibalize parts from spacesuits currently aboard the shuttle Atlantis to clear the way for a complex space station assembly mission scheduled for launch in less than three weeks. Even if the work goes smoothly, officials say, there is little margin for error in meeting Discovery's Oct. 5 launch target.    FULL STORY [Posted: Sept. 18] NASA opts to leave shuttle hurricane policy unchanged NASA is keeping open the option of putting two shuttles on the Kennedy Space Center's two launch pads at the same time during hurricane season. But such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, balancing the demands of space station assembly against potential disruptions due to approaching storms.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 30] NASA shortens shuttle launch windows The five-minute launch windows typical of shuttle missions to the international space station likely will be shortened to as little as two-and-a-half minutes for all upcoming flights to improve safety and the odds of carrying out a successful mission.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 18]				Ground track See the path Discovery followed during its homecoming today in our STS-92 Landing Tracker. EAFB Orbit 202 - touchdown in California at 2059 GMT. Status Summary See the Status Center for full play-by-play coverage.