NASA Sets Launch Date For Space Shuttle Discovery Mission
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin
an 11-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at
4:40 p.m. EDT on Monday, Nov. 1, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida. The STS-133 mission is Discovery's final scheduled flight.
Discovery's launch date was announced Monday at the conclusion of a
flight readiness review at Kennedy. During the meeting, senior NASA
and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the
mission and determined the shuttle and station's equipment, support
systems and personnel are ready.
The six astronauts for the mission will deliver the Permanent
Multipurpose Module (PMM) to the station. The PMM was converted from
the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo and will provide
additional storage for the station crew. Experiments in such fields
as fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology may be
conducted inside the module. The PMM also carries Robonaut 2, the
first human-like robot in space, which will become a permanent
resident of the station. In addition, the flight will deliver
critical spare parts and the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external
platform that holds large equipment.
STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and his crew are scheduled to arrive
at Kennedy on Thursday, Oct. 28, for final launch preparations.
Joining Lindsey are Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin
Drew, Tim Kopra, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott. Drew and Kopra
will conduct two spacewalks to install new components and do some
maintenance work.
STS-133 is the fourth and final shuttle mission planned for 2010. It
is Discovery's 39th flight and 35th shuttle mission to the station.
For more information about the STS-133 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Stott will send mission updates to her Twitter account:
http://www.twitter.com/Astro_
For more information about the space station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
Source: NASA
