Later today, specifically at 11:57am EST (Cleveland local time), NASA's oldest surviving space shuttle, Discovery, will make its final landing when it touches down at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. For Discovery, today's events will serve as the culmination of its 27-year career that began with the STS-41D mission way back on August 30, 1984.
The best part, thanks to technology, one doesn't have to be in Florida to watch the landing as it happens.
Because of the mission's historic nature, namely being the first of the last shuttle missions, press coverage of Discovery's landing will be more intense than usual as media outlets from all over the world are sure to converge on Florida to see NASA's most-flown shuttle land fort he final time. With all the reporters will be cameras, and computers, which will allow one to see the landing from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection thanks to NASA TV. Also, as landing time nears, check out more mainstream news outlets for live coverage.
Last but mot least, speaking of the ISS, it will be making a pair of passes over the Cleveland area this week.
March 9: look W, 7:48pm, magnitude -1.9, max. elevation 26 degrees
March 10: look WNW, 6:39pm, -4 magnitude, max. elevation 83 degrees
These are just the Cleveland times for flybys, if you live somewhere else, check out Spaceweather's satellite tracker or Heavens Above to get custom flyby data for where you live. As always keep an eye on the Cleveland Clear Sky Clock for hourly cloud forecasts. Live somewhere else? Find a clock and see if it will be clear near you.
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