Live in Orbit: Discovery "go" for undocking

NASA mission controllers in Houston have given shuttle Discovery's seven astronauts a "go" to undock from the International Space Station in less than half an hour.

You can watch the undocking a subsequent flyaround of the outpost live here. Just click on the NASA TV still image at right to launch a viewer.

Separation of the spacecraft is scheduled at 3:26 p.m., when springs will slowly push Discovery slowly back from its docking port at a rate of one-tenth of a foot per second.

The undocking procedure is more complex than usual because Discovery does not have the use of six small steering jets that would normally help out. They were shut down shortly after an Aug. 28 launch because of a suspected fuel leak.

The shuttle flyaround of the station, which is now 84 percent complete, should begin just before 4 p.m.