Asia-Pacific

NASA sets Discovery's last voyage on Nov 1

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-26 10:45

In this September 21, 2010 file photo, space shuttle Discovery sits on launch pad 39A after making the trip from the vehicle assembly building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON -- US space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin an 11-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 4:40 pm EDT (20:40 GMT) on November 1, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Monday.

Related readings:  Moon crash kicks up ice, silver, mercury: NASA  Former NASA head, ex-US Sen. in plane crash  NASA deploys research aircraft to assess oil spill

The mission is Discovery's final scheduled flight, and the fourth and final shuttle mission planned for 2010.

Discovery's launch date was announced Monday at the conclusion of a flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Fla. 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 multipurpose 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.