Payload bay door closed

Discovery reported its payload bay doors were closed and latched as the orbiter flew some 181 miles above the earth.

The weather at KSC will determine whether the shuttle lands at its first opportunity by firing retro rockets at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The rocket firing will slow the shuttle by 148 mph, decreasing its 17,000 mph speed by enough to cause it to drop from orbit.

On re-entry, Discovery will fly over British Columbia, central Nebraska, northern Mississippi and cross central Florida between Orlando and Daytona Beach, before making a 192 degree turn and landing at Kennedy Space Center.



















Landing track over Central Florida