Discovery undocks from space station and begins journey home

AFTER a week-and-a-half of intense and unprecedented work, astronauts aboard the shuttle Discovery undocked from the international space station yesterday to begin their two-day journey home.

“Thank you guys for the module and all your help,” said space station commander Peggy Whitson as Discovery pulled away from the orbiting outpost.

Discovery’s crew arrived at the station on October 25 and quickly accomplished the ambitious tasks of moving a massive solar power tower and installing the module, a school bus-sized compartment that will serve as a docking port for future laboratories.