Discovery back after 3-year trip

CAPE CANAVERAL, June 13: Space shuttle Discovery landed at the Kennedy Space Center here, ending the orbital adventure begun by the United States and Russia three years ago. Discovery brought home US astronaut Andrew Thomas 8212; who spent over four months in orbit aboard the Russian space station Mir 8212; when the shuttle landed at 1800 GMT after a 10-day mission. 8220;I think the thing I8217;m looking forward to the most is the freedom to do the things I chose, and not to have my life planned out every minute,8221; he said earlier from the shuttle.

Thomas8217; return ends three years of US presence in space. Since the arrival aboard the station of astronaut Normanthagard in March 1995, seven Americans have called Mir home.