Nasa planned to undock the space shuttle Discovery from the International Space Station on Tuesday after an eventful mission that included a crucial rewiring and the retraction of a stubborn solar array.
The undocking will be the first step in the shuttle Discovery‘s journey home, which is slated for Friday, a day later than originally planned.
Spacewalking astronauts coaxed a balky solar wing panel on the International Space Station into its storage box on Monday, capping a tedious but ultimately successful mission.
The 33m-long solar span was folded up so it could be relocated to another part of the orbital outpost.
Ground control teams monitored and sent advice on every aspect of the operation. At least 13 more missions are needed to complete the half-built $100-billion space station before the shuttle fleet is retired in 2010.
Monday’s spacewalk was the fourth since the shuttle arrived at the station the previous week.
Nasa was prepared for problems, but managers expected they would occur with the rewiring of the station’s power grid. That task proved to be glitch-free.
The rewiring cleared the way for modules built by Europe and Japan to be attached to the station beginning next year.
The solar wing panel retraction was another story.
Since Wednesday, engineers on the ground and astronauts aboard the station had tried dozens of times to remotely command the panel to fold up like a Venetian blind. The job was finally completed by the spacewalkers.
The shuttle’s touchdown is now targeted for Friday afternoon. Nasa will mobilise backup landing sites in California and New Mexico, in addition to Florida’s prime site. – Reuters