Discovery Prepares For Trip Home

Sunday, November 4th 2007, 7:12 pm

By: News On 6

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (AP) -- The crew of Discovery is preparing to return home after some tears and good-bye hugs before the hatches were closed between the shuttle and the space station.

The most tears came from the two men who traded places on the space station: Clayton Anderson, who is headed home after five months in orbit, and Daniel Tani, who is starting a two-month mission.

The two commanders, the shuttle's Pamela Melroy and the station's Peggy Whitson, also were teary-eyed as they hugged one another.

The crews were still on a major high after a spacewalk repair job on a ripped solar panel.

After pulling away Monday morning, the shuttle will fly a full lap around the station, primarily for picture-taking. Engineers are particularly interested in seeing how the newly mended solar wing is affected by the vibrations of undocking.

Discovery's 15-day mission will end with a Wednesday touchdown.