segunda-feira, 20 de setembro de 2010

Shuttle ready for move to launch pad

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Sept. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. space shuttle Discovery has been placed on its mobile launcher in readiness to be moved to the launch pad for its upcoming final mission, NASA says.

Joined to its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, Discovery will be placed on its crawler transporter for its rollout to the launch pad Monday evening, expected to take about 6 hours, the space agency said.

Meanwhile in Houston, Discovery's six-astronaut crew continued mission simulation training at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

In Discovery's final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew, under commander Steven Lindsey, will deliver important spare parts to the International Space Station along with a Permanent Multipurpose Module.

The scheduled Nov. 1 launch will mark the start of the 35th shuttle mission to the station.

UPI