[sarex] Discovery Prepares to Roll to the Pad

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Discovery Prepares to Roll to the Pad*

In preparation for the targeted Oct. 23 launch, Discovery is set to roll 
from the Vehicle Assembly Building out to the Launch Pad 39A aboard the 
crawler transporter this weekend. Earlier in the week, the orbiter was 
attached to the external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters atop 
the mobile launch platform.

In the predawn hours Thursday, the payload canister for mission STS-120 
arrived at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The 
Italian-built U.S. Harmony module destined for the International Space 
Center will be transferred to Discovery's payload bay once the space 
shuttle reaches the pad.

Payload canister at Launch Pad 39AAs dawn begins to break over Launch 
Pad 39A, the payload canister carrying the International Space Station's 
Harmony module is lifted toward the payload change out area of the pad's 
service structure. Image credit: NASA
+ View larger image 
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_payloadatpad-lg.JPG>

*Mission Information*
+ STS-120 Mission Overview 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html>
+ Harmony Node 2 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/harmony_payload.html> 

+ Space Shuttle Discovery 
<http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html>