Discovery astronauts pack trash, surplus gear for returning home

BEIJING, Sept.7 (Xinhuanet) -- The shuttle Discovery astronauts have almost completed packing up a moving van for return to Earth on Thursday, according to media reports Monday.

This is one of a series of 800mm survey digital still photographs  of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it performed a full 360-degree backflip taken from the International Space Station as the two  spacecraft drew near before docking in this NASA handout photo  taken August 30, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

The giant van will come back aboard Discovery filled with a ton of trash, surplus gear and completed science experiments after it finished the mission of transferring seven tons of space station supplies and equipment.

The astronauts took a half day off to relax and enjoyed the view on Sunday after a week of virtually nonstop work together.

Astronaut Danny Olivas, who went out on all three spacewalks, said he wanted to gaze out the window and snap some pictures.

　"All in all, it's been a very successful mission," Olivas said in a TV interview. "Everybody here is in good spirits, and we are ready to finish up here and come home."