Space shuttle Discovery completed its last planned trip to the launch pad at 1:49 a.m. at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians are connecting numerous cables and checking systems at Launch Pad 39A before the rotating service structure is moved over Discovery later today.
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The Astronomical Research Center A.R.C mentioned that Discovery left the Vehicle Assembly Building at about 7:23 p.m. Monday night to begin the slow, 3.4-mile crawl to the pad.
Discovery, which first launched Aug. 30, 1984, on STS-41D, is being readied for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for Nov. 1 at 4:40 p.m. EDT. This is scheduled to be the last mission for the oldest of NASA's three active orbiters.
Astronaut Steve Lindsey commands a veteran crew for STS-133, including Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Alvin Drew, Tim Kopra, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott. They will take the supply- and equipment-laden Permanent Multipurpose Module to the station, along with the humanoid helper called Robonaut 2.