1ST LEAD: Florida after all: Discovery to land at Cape Canaveral


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Friday December 22, 2006

Washington- US space shuttle Discovery was expected to land
at Cape Canaveral in Florida at 2132 GMT Friday after space agency
NASA gave the go-ahead despite earlier weather concerns.
NASA scrapped plans for an initial planned touchdown at Cape
Canaveral at 1956 GMT amid clouds and rain forecast over the area,
but decided to try again after meteorologists predicted there would
be no rain.

Other options had included a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in
California, or even a touch-down at White Sands Space Harbour in New
Mexico, which had not been used for 24 years.

All three sites could be a possibility again on Saturday should
the Friday touchdown be scrapped. Saturday is the last day Discovery
can land before its fuel for running electrical systems runs out.

Discovery is returning from a 13-day mission in space to rewire
the International Space Station.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency