Discovery - Return from flight - Monday 4:46AM

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Flight controllers and others at

NASA struggled to push away thoughts of Columbia's tragic return as Discovery aimed for a landing before dawn Monday, the first for a shuttle since the 2003 disaster.

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The Mission Control team in charge of guiding Discovery and its crew of seven safely back to Earth was focused on that sole objective and trying not to dwell on that awful morning when the Columbia shattered in the sky just 16 short minutes from home and seven astronauts were lost.

"We're looking forward, we're not looking back," flight director LeRoy Cain said Sunday with less than 24 hours to go before touchdown.

So were Discovery's seven astronauts.

"I have had a lot of thoughts about Columbia and I will have thoughts after the landing," said commander Eileen Collins. As for Monday, though, "We're all going to be very focused ... on the job at hand."

"It's time to come home," she added Sunday, "and keep working on getting the shuttle better and ready to fly in the future."

Full article at yahoo news:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050807/ap_on_sc/space_shuttle_13;_ylt=ArkLy6.W9uDvMK6uOZKn8UcYAjMB;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Sunday, August 7

11:34 p.m.De-orbit preparations begin

Monday, August 8

3:43 a.m.De-orbit burn

4:46 a.m.Kennedy Space Center landing

Highlights of a Space Shuttle Re-Entry

Some highlights of space shuttle Discovery's planned re-entry early Monday:

_1 hour, five minutes before touchdown: Braking rockets fired by commander and pilot, dropping shuttle's orbital speed of 17,500 mph by 208 mph and starting the descent toward Earth.

_32 minutes before touchdown: Shuttle begins entering the discernible atmosphere at 400,000 feet, a period called "entry interface."

_20 minutes before touchdown: Shuttle exposed to maximum heating by atmospheric gases, considered the most dangerous part of entry and close to the time Columbia broke apart.

_4 to 5 minutes before touchdown: Commander and pilot take over manual control, from onboard computers.

_3 1/2 to 4 minutes before touchdown: Twin sonic booms heard as shuttle gets closer to ground at supersonic speed.

_3 minutes before touchdown: Shuttle makes 223-degree turn to line up with runway.

_14 seconds before touchdown: Wheels down.

_Touchdown.

Shuttle Slideshow:

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/sc/010605shuttlenasa/im:/050806/ids_photos_wl/r2158036876.jpg;_ylt=AhCRLVrqNgfe9Sn6I3H02LCaK8MA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGcyMWMzBHNlYwNzc25hdg--

[Guest michael^heaven]

---Delayed 'till Tuesday. :-\