ANN REALTIME UPDATE 07.17.06 0915 EDT: These guys make it look so easy... as moments ago, the shuttle Discovery came in for a picture-perfect landing on Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Next up for the shuttle program: the late September launch of the shuttle Atlantis... and, Discovery should return to the skies, as well, before the end of this year.

To everyone at NASA... way to go!

ORIGINAL REPORT

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 07.17.06 0815 EDT: Discovery has just fired its main engines to slow its orbit around Earth, and is on track for a 9:14 am EDT landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The engine firing followed the closing of Discovery’s payload bay doors at 5:35 am.

Discovery is expected to touchdown at KSC in about an hour from now. Flight controllers authorized Discovery to fire its engines for the deorbit burn at the first opportunity, as skies within 30 miles of the Shuttle Landing Facility remain free of rain.

Some high cloudcover is evident in video feeds from NASA, but it is not expected to pose a problem. NASA reports few clouds at 11,000 feet, with a slight quartering tailwind for landing on Runway 33.

NASA also reports that despite problems with two of Discovery's three auxiliary power units over the past few days, all three APUs are functioning normally for reentry.

Over their 13-day mission that started July 4, Discovery and its six astronauts visited the International Space Station. They delivered supplies, equipment and a new Expedition 13 crew member to the orbital outpost. During three spacewalks, the crew performed maintenance on the station’s mobile transporter and tested orbiter heat shield repair techniques.

FMI: www.nasa.gov