Discovery Arrives at the Pad

Posted on: May. 22nd, 2006 || Source: nasa.gov | E-mail Article | Print Article

Discovery Arrives at the Pad

Space Shuttle Discovery's 4.2-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B is complete! The move brings NASA one step closer to the STS-121 mission, targeted for launch no earlier than July 1.

Mounted on the Mobile Launcher Platform and carried by the mammoth crawler-transporter, Discovery emerged from the assembly building at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The "stack" rolled along at less than one mile an hour, and arrived at the launch pad early Friday evening.

Space Shuttle Discovery rests on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after completing the 4.2-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Image credit: NASA

This mission will continue the evaluation of flight safety procedures, including shuttle inspection and repair techniques. It also will deliver more supplies and cargo for future station expansion.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.
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