Discovery’s STS-119 – Due for a Launch.

The flight readiness review meeting is expected to set an official launch date for the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station. For planning purposes, liftoff as of today is tentatively targeted for March 11 at 9:20 p.m. EDT.

The Space Shuttle Program moved the targeted launch a day earlier following extensive review of flow control valve inspection data and assessment of ongoing and planned work. A formal presentation of the flow control work and a thorough evaluation of all aspects of flight will be made at Friday's readiness review.

Discovery’s seven astronauts are going into quarantine tonight at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in preparation for next week’s possible launch.

Commander Lee Archambault will lead Discovery's crew of seven, along with Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata.

The Discovery crew members are set to fly the S6 truss segment and install the final set of power-generating solar arrays to the International Space Station. The S6 truss will complete the backbone of the station and provide one-fourth of the total power needed to support a crew of six.

Purpose of STS-119:

The purpose of the Previous Mission: STS-126 was to delivered equipment to the International Space Station enabling larger crews to reside aboard the complex. The purpose of this Mission is to carry the S6 truss segment as well as a new station crew member to the orbital outpost. STS-119 is the 28th shuttle mission to the International Space Station.

Public Invited to Submit Questions for NASA's Space Shuttle Launch

Space enthusiasts from across the United States and around the world are invited to submit questions about space shuttle Discovery's upcoming launch, its STS-119 mission to the International Space Station, and NASA space exploration. Questions may be answered on NASA Television during the countdown to launch. Discovery and its seven astronauts are tentatively targeted to launch March 12 at 8:54 p.m. EDT from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA commentary will begin about five hours before liftoff.
Questions can be submitted online at: http://webcast.ksc.nasa.gov/

Courtesy: nasa.gov