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Discovery to Fly Over US

Columbia disaster sparked changes in NASA procedures

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 6, 2007 1:35 PM CST

(Newser) – The space shuttle Discovery will fly across the US tomorrow before landing in Cape Canaveral, a feat NASA hasn’t attempted since the doomed shuttle Columbia rained debris over the country in 2003. New safety procedures have minimized the risk of another disaster, ABC News reports. People below may see the shuttle and will definitely hear its double sonic boom.

Discovery will fly across southwestern Canada before tracing an arc from Montana to Florida. The entire journey, from leaving orbit to landing, will take roughly an hour and bring the shuttle home at 1:02pm EST. "Landing in daylight is a safer and easier task than landing in the dark," says the space shuttle program manager.

In this image from NASA TV, the stabilizer and payload bay on the shuttle orbiter Discovery is seen against the Earth Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007. (AP Photo/NASA TV)
In this image from NASA TV, the stabilizer and payload bay on the shuttle orbiter Discovery is seen against the Earth Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007. (AP Photo/NASA TV)   (Associated Press)
The Space Shuttle Discovery backdropped by a blue and white Earth, in this image photographed by an Expedition 16 crewmember aboard the International Space Station during a backflip maneuver performed by the approaching shuttle to the International Space Station Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/NASA)
The Space Shuttle Discovery backdropped by a blue and white Earth, in this image photographed by an Expedition 16 crewmember aboard the International Space Station during a backflip maneuver performed...   (Associated Press)
Shuttle Discovery commander Pamela Melroy, lower right, answers a question during a news conference from space, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007. Astronauts, front row from left, are George Zamka, pilot; Stephanie Wilson, mission specialist; Melroy, and Paolo Nespoli. Back row, from left, are mission specialists Clayton Anderson, Douglas Whelock, and Scott...
Shuttle Discovery commander Pamela Melroy, lower right, answers a question during a news conference from space, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007. Astronauts, front row from left, are George Zamka, pilot; Stephanie...   (Associated Press)
In an image from NASA television the Space Shuttle Discovery does a fly around of the international space statioin Monday Nov. 5, 2007.  The Discovery has undocked from the space station for a resturn to earth. (AP Photo/NASA)
In an image from NASA television the Space Shuttle Discovery does a fly around of the international space statioin Monday Nov. 5, 2007. The Discovery has undocked from the space station for a resturn...   (Associated Press)
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