Discovery lands safely after 13-day ISS mission

The orbiter landed on schedule under overcast skies at the Kennedy Space Centre at 9:14 am (1314 GMT) after what the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) called a highly successful mission.

Officials heaved a sigh of relief as a parachute deployed from the shuttle's rear, and Discovery came to a full stop on the 4,572-meter (15,000-foot) Atlantic seashore runway, safely returning the six astronauts to Earth.

"Welcome back Discovery and congratulations on a great mission," ground control told the crew of six, as they shut down the systems and prepared to leave the space vehicle.

"The crew of Discovery is safely home," mission control said.

Two high-altitude aircraft equipped with high-tech cameras accompanied Discovery as it glided to the landing strip after soaring over southern Mexico and across the Gulf of Mexico. Its arrival was heralded by two resounding sonic booms.

The final moments of the mission are among the most critical, and it was upon re-entering into the Earth's atmosphere that Columbia had burst into flames on February 1, 2003.