Mon, Oct 01, 2007
Space shuttle Discovery arrived at
Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, resting on the
hardstand by 1:15 p.m., Sunday. The shuttle began its slow 3.4-mile
journey to the pad atop the crawler transporter at 6:47 a.m.,
leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building in the early morning
darkness.
Also at the pad is the payload canister containing the Harmony
module that the STS-120 crew will deliver to the International
Space Station. Harmony will be installed in Discovery's payload bay
as launch preparations continue at the pad.
STS-120 is the 23rd shuttle mission to the International Space
Station, and will launch an Italian-built U.S. multi-port module
for the station.
Retired Air Force Col. Pamela A. Melroy will command the STS-120
mission to take the Node 2 connecting module to the station.
Melroy, a veteran shuttle pilot, is the second woman to command a
shuttle. Marine Corps Col. George D. Zamka will serve as pilot. The
flight's mission specialists will be Scott E. Parazynski, Army Col.
Douglas H. Wheelock, Stephanie D. Wilson and Paolo A. Nespoli, a
European Space Agency astronaut from Italy. Zamka, Wheelock and
Nespoli will be making their first spaceflight.
Expedition 15/16 Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson will return to
Earth from the space station aboard shuttle mission STS-120. That
flight will carry his replacement, Daniel Tani, to the station.
Tani will return on shuttle mission STS-122.
Discovery and its seven astronaut crew are targeted to launch
Oct. 23 on the STS-120 mission to the International Space
Station.
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