1 00:00:02,140 --> 00:00:04,480 Houston, Discovery has the runway in sight. 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:05,740 Copy runway 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,140 Discovery descending through 3000 feet 4 00:00:08,140 --> 00:00:09,380 Three miles to touchdown 5 00:00:10,860 --> 00:00:11,740 1000 feet 6 00:00:14,980 --> 00:00:16,340 Landing gear is down and locked 7 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:24,140 Main gear touchdown 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:32,840 Drag chute deployed 9 00:00:37,700 --> 00:00:38,960 Nose gear touchdown 10 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:41,660 And Discovery is home 11 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,780 Return to flight mission STS-114 12 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,780 culminates at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center 13 00:00:48,780 --> 00:00:51,420 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. 14 00:00:52,740 --> 00:00:54,420 Discovery's landing initiates 15 00:00:54,420 --> 00:00:56,520 a complex series of activities. 16 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,400 The orbiter is recovered by a convoy 17 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,840 of over 20 specialized vehicles. 18 00:01:03,940 --> 00:01:06,660 A variety of of specialists assist the astronauts 19 00:01:06,660 --> 00:01:08,600 with systems shutdown, egress 20 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:09,860 and medical assessments. 21 00:01:15,260 --> 00:01:17,620 I'd like say hello to everybody and 22 00:01:17,620 --> 00:01:20,320 on behalf of the STS-114 crew, 23 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:22,980 we have had a fantastic mission. 24 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:26,540 We are, so glad to be able to come back and say it 25 00:01:26,550 --> 00:01:29,020 was successful and we have resupplied 26 00:01:29,020 --> 00:01:30,509 the International Space Station and 27 00:01:30,509 --> 00:01:31,900 we've met the test objectives 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:33,660 of the Space Shuttle Program. 29 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:35,700 We brought Discovery back in great shape. 30 00:01:35,700 --> 00:01:37,360 as you can see behind us that, 31 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,820 the crew is really anxious to walk and 32 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:41,200 see what the outside looked like 33 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:42,420 and it looks fantastic. 34 00:01:42,420 --> 00:01:44,020 We got a great group of folks here that are 35 00:01:44,620 --> 00:01:47,020 taking care of Discovery and taking care of us. 36 00:01:48,980 --> 00:01:52,100 After the initial recovery operations on the runway 37 00:01:52,100 --> 00:01:53,820 the orbiter is towed four miles 38 00:01:53,820 --> 00:01:56,579 to a Mate/Demate Device or MDD, 39 00:01:56,580 --> 00:01:58,040 where it is de serviced . 40 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:01,820 Once at the MDD, the week-long 41 00:02:01,820 --> 00:02:03,420 turnaround process begins 42 00:02:03,420 --> 00:02:05,660 with crews working around the clock 43 00:02:05,660 --> 00:02:07,110 in preparation for the Shuttle's 44 00:02:07,110 --> 00:02:08,960 cross-country return home. 45 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,440 Discovery's onboard fuel cell systems are shut down 46 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,160 and the Orbiter's electrical systems 47 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:17,820 are switched to ground power. 48 00:02:19,220 --> 00:02:21,040 The Shuttle is hoisted and aligned 49 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:22,880 with the MDD'S work platforms 50 00:02:23,140 --> 00:02:24,380 so that technicians may have 51 00:02:24,380 --> 00:02:26,280 access to the Orbiter's systems. 52 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,420 The main engines are flushed of residual fuel to 53 00:02:33,420 --> 00:02:36,280 protect the turbo pumps from possible contamination. 54 00:02:37,660 --> 00:02:39,940 The most hazardous part of the deservicing 55 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,620 is the draining of the monomethylhydrazine fuel 56 00:02:42,620 --> 00:02:44,820 from the Orbiter's rockets and thrusters. 57 00:02:44,820 --> 00:02:48,060 [series of three loud clangs] 58 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,840 This procedure is commonly called SCAPE, 59 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:52,340 an acronym for the 60 00:02:52,340 --> 00:02:55,060 Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Equipment 61 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:56,980 the technicians must wear. 62 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,620 It is a lengthy process mandated by safety requirements 63 00:03:01,620 --> 00:03:04,280 due to the highly toxic nature of the fuel. 64 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:06,760 Once SCAPE is complete 65 00:03:06,820 --> 00:03:09,300 the aft engine area is prepared for installation 66 00:03:09,300 --> 00:03:11,120 of the aerodynamic tail cone. 67 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:15,740 This 10,000 pound fairing is mounted 68 00:03:15,740 --> 00:03:17,440 over the main engine nozzles 69 00:03:17,700 --> 00:03:20,320 to help reduce drag during the ferry flight. 70 00:03:22,020 --> 00:03:23,780 Once the tail cone is in place 71 00:03:23,780 --> 00:03:25,700 the Orbiter's body flap is raised 72 00:03:25,700 --> 00:03:28,200 to fit flush against the tail cones bottom 73 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,580 and the landing gear is raised and locked into place. 74 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,620 Discovery is now ready to be mated 75 00:03:35,620 --> 00:03:38,580 to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft or SCA. 76 00:03:41,140 --> 00:03:43,740 The Orbiter is lifted some 60 feet into the air 77 00:03:43,740 --> 00:03:45,380 by the MDD sling. 78 00:03:46,140 --> 00:03:50,600 The SCA, a modified 747, is been towed to the MDD 79 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,600 and carefully positioned underneath. 80 00:03:55,700 --> 00:03:57,060 The Shuttle is now lowered 81 00:03:57,060 --> 00:03:59,960 onto three attach points on the 747. 82 00:04:00,900 --> 00:04:03,960 Once this slow exacting process is complete, 83 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,440 the sling is removed from the Orbiter and 84 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,240 and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft is carefully towed 85 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:10,420 from the MDD. 86 00:04:12,500 --> 00:04:15,380 With the Orbiter mounted securely atop the 747, 87 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:17,840 the piggyback pair is ready to fly. 88 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:20,240 Although the weight of the Orbiter 89 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,540 is well within the SCA's carrying ability, 90 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:24,800 the additional drag forces it to fly 91 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,340 at much lower altitudes and 92 00:04:26,340 --> 00:04:29,520 and much slower speeds than a commercial 747. 93 00:04:31,580 --> 00:04:33,920 The 747 makes its long taxi 94 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,420 to the 15,000 foot Edwards runway 95 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,320 The flight crew gets takeoff clearance from the tower, 96 00:04:40,330 --> 00:04:41,700 the throttles are advanced 97 00:04:41,700 --> 00:04:42,940 and the brakes released. 98 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,520 After an extended takeoff the SCA is airborne 99 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,960 and the duo climb into the desert sky.