Shuttle Discovery lands safely in Florida

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., June 14 (UPI) -- Space shuttle Discovery had a smooth landing Saturday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, concluding an assembly mission to the International Space Station.

NASA officials said the spacecraft, with Cmdr. Mark Kelly and Pilot Ken Ham at the controls, landed at 11:15 a.m. EDT without any problems in what the space agency described as perfect weather.

The shuttle crew reached the space station June 2, carrying out its mission of delivering the second component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The crew also brought in a new space station crew member, Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff, who took the place of Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman.

NASA said Reisman returned to Earth as a member of the Discovery crew.

The Discovery flight, designated STS-124, was the 123rd shuttle mission and 26th shuttle flight to visit the space station, NASA officials said.