Image above: The STS-124 crew members aboard space shuttle Discovery answer questions from the media. Photo credit: NASA TV

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Discovery cleared for landing on Saturday

The crew members of space shuttle Discovery spent Friday getting ready for their return home and the end of the STS-124 mission.

After completing a standard day-before-landing test of the shuttle steering jets, the crew members indicated they had seen an object floating away from the shuttle from behind the rear portion of the right wing. Shortly afterwards, the crew members described what they called a "bump" on the left side trailing edge of Discovery's rudder.

Experts on the ground examined images and video of the object and the “bump” and determined that there were no concerns for entry and landing. Therefore, the Mission Management Team cleared the shuttle for entry.

The STS-124 astronauts also set up the recumbent seat for Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman, KE5HAE, who joined the crew of Discovery on the International Space Station. Reisman, who served as Expedition 17 flight engineer for three months, was replaced on the station crew by NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff, KD5PKZ.

STS-124 arrived at the station June 2, delivering the Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM), the second and largest component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory. The tour bus-sized JPM was attached to the left side of the Harmony connecting node by shuttle and station crew members during a series of three spacewalks.

Discovery is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 11:15 a.m. EDT Saturday.