U.S. shuttle Discovery lands safely at Kennedy Space Center

2009-03-28 19:12:39 GMT Xinhua English WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Discovery touched down on Saturday at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ending its 13-day mission to the International Space Station.

Shuttle Discovery on track for afternoon landing

2009-03-28 07:38:32 GMT SINA.com It's landing day for space shuttle Discovery.

Final in-orbit shuttle inspection complete

2009-03-27 02:10:29 GMT SINA.com Astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery conducted a final inspection of the vehicle Thursday and at first glance found no significant damage which would prevent it from returning to Earth.

U.S. shuttle Discovery leaves space station for home

2009-03-26 00:13:31 GMT Xinhua English WASHINGTON, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station on Wednesday, beginning its trip back to Earth, NASA TV reported.

Space shuttle Discovery lands

2009-03-30 03:46:21 GMT Reuters Commander Lee Archambault guided Discovery onto the runway, touching down shortly before 3.15pm EDT (1915 GMT).

Discovery undocks from space station

2009-03-26 00:26:05 GMT Xinhua English Space shuttle Discovery has left the international space station. The shuttle undocked from the orbiting outpost Wednesday after eight days. Discovery and its crew of seven are due back Saturday.

Obama jokes with astros

2009-03-25 06:50:16 GMT Reuters U.S. President Barack Obama makes a phone call to congraulate astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Discovery astronauts complete second spacewalk

2009-03-22 12:14:26 GMT Xinhua English A NASA videograb on Saturday, March 21, 2009, shows space shuttle Discovery astronauts Joseph Acaba (L) and Steven Swanson complete second spacewalk.

Discovery liftoff delayed for 5th time

2009-03-12 07:40:05 GMT China Daily CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida – The launch of the US space shuttle Discovery was postponed Wednesday just hours before liftoff after NASA engineers found a gas leak in the filling system for its external tank.

NASA: Space shuttle Discovery's launch no earlier than March 15

2009-03-11 22:58:20 GMT Xinhua English WASHINGTON, March 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space shuttle Discovery’s launch to the International Space Station is now targeted for no earlier than March 15, NASA said in a statement on Wednesday.

NASA postpones space shuttle Discovery's launch due to gas leak

2009-03-11 18:42:00 GMT Xinhua English WASHINGTON, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The launch of the space shuttle Discovery was postponed again on Wednesday due to a hydrogen gas leak found before its scheduled liftoff, NASA said.

NASA aims for March 12 launch of space shuttle Discovery

2009-02-26 05:52:44 GMT Xinhua English WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The launch of the space shuttle Discovery, originally scheduled for Feb. 12, has been tentatively targeted for March 12, after repeated delays caused by critical valves, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said on Wednesday.

Backgrounder: Space shuttle Discovery

2009-03-24 09:48:01 GMT SINA.com Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the three currently operational orbiters in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA, the space agency of the United States. (The other two are Atlantis and Endeavour.) When first flown in 1984, Discovery became the third operational orbiter, and is now the oldest orbiter in service. Discovery has performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions.

STS-119: A final station power up

2009-03-24 08:23:13 GMT SINA.com If the International Space Station crew wants to invite three more people to join them in living full time in space, the space shuttle Discovery crew says more power to 'em – literally.

Backgrounder: Introduction to U.S. space shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission

2009-03-16 00:01:02 GMT Xinhua English WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Discovery lifted off Sunday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The following is a brief introduction to Discovery's STS-119 mission.

Backgrounder: Crew members of U.S. space shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission

2009-03-15 23:53:03 GMT Xinhua English WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Discovery lifted off Sunday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a mission of delivering the International Space Station's (ISS) fourth and final set of solar array wings, completing the station's truss, or backbone. There are seven astronauts aboard the shuttle.