Discovery’s astronauts survey wings

Shuttle Discovery’s astronauts examined the wings of their ship to ensure a safe descent over the American heartland after leaving the International Space Station.

On the ride home Wednesday, the shuttle will make the first coast-to-coast reentry since Columbia shattered in the sky over Texas in 2003.

Discovery was not supposed to reenter over the entire United States. -- just Florida. But that would have entailed a predawn landing, and shuttle commander Pamela A. Melroy preferred a safer, easier touchdown in daylight, said shuttle program manager Wayne Hale.

Discovery’s new path will have it descending early Wednesday afternoon over the Canadian coast and the Pacific Northwest, down across the Midwest and the South, and on into Florida.