Space shuttle to land at Edwards AFB in California

Unstable weather on the East Coast will force the space shuttle Discovery to land this evening at California's Edwards Air Force Base instead of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA announced today.

The so-called “deorbit burn” is scheduled to begin at 4:47 p.m. PDT for a 5:53 p.m. landing at Edwards in the Mojave Desert north of Los Angeles, according to details published on NASA’s website.

The second opportunity for leaving orbit will come at 6:23 p.m., ending with a landing at 7:28 p.m.

“The burn lasts three to four minutes, slowing Discovery enough to begin its descent,” according to information published by NASA.

This evening’s scheduled landing would complete a trip to deliver supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The mission lasted 14 days and covered 5.7 million miles. A strong sonic boom may possibly be heard over a large section of the coast and some inland areas of Southern California upon the shuttle’s arrival, according to NASA.

-- Ann M. Simmons

Comments

[Shawdog]

The sonic "double" boom from the shuttle's arrival hit at 4:48 pm -- a good hard shock.

[P J Evans]

They made the early burn. As many people probably noticed.

[morro de sao paulo]

morro de sao paulo

[Shane Harris]

I heard the sonic boom! My wife was in the shower at the time and heard it was well. Really cool. I didn't know what it was until I turned on the TV and saw a live video of the space shuttle landing. When I "Googled" it, this article came up. Thanks!

[Lola]

I heard it come in a few minutes ago, it always sounds like a bomb.

[Darren Campos]

Yeah! i just heard the big boom it heard like a bullet. ...D...
from .............,CA

[steve]

i heard the sonic boom over el segundo! (im on holiday from the uk,)it was like a shotgun going bang bang,it rattled my hotels windows!!it was fantastic!

[ndgurn]

our shower door shattered from the sonic boom. we are in west la. has anyone heard of other damage to property? where do i make a claim - ha!

[klaus ristau]

nothing like seeing the shutle take off and land.I know it was a very traject thing to see all eyes where on the time the school teacher went down.Think of all the times the shutle went up into space and the children would think maybe someday i will be able to contribute to the space exploration and set my goals high if not the fiber of the american dream will be lost and if that happen we will be at the target of other forces.Then that could be the down fall of our country.So wake up and explore or i swear The united state of america will fall and how would you like to live like all the other countries such as russia,india,china etc.do not make the same mistake and do your home work,they are plotting to get the usa i know it