Article Posted on : - Mar 09, 2011

Space shuttle Discovery performs its flyaround of the International Space Station as both spacecraft orbit over the Sahara Desert. Photo: NASA TV.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA (BNS): Space shuttle Discovery’s crew is wrapping up final preparations for its planned landing at 1157 a.m. EST (1657 hrs GMT) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew has stowed the Ku-Band antenna, used for high-data rate communications and television from space, and will go to sleep at 0723 p.m.

Discovery is on the verge of ending its nearly 27-year flying career. It's scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday for the last time.

NASA will spend several months decommissioning Discovery, then send it to the Smithsonian Institution to live out its days.

During space shuttle Discovery's final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew members delivered important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier-4.

Steve Bowen replaced Tim Kopra as Mission Specialist 2 following a bicycle injury on Jan. 15 that prohibited Kopra from supporting the launch window. Bowen last flew on Atlantis in May 2010 as part of the STS-132 crew. Flying on the STS-133 mission makes Bowen the first astronaut ever to fly on consecutive missions.