Discovery Connected to Tank and Boosters

NASA technicians attached space shuttle Discovery to its external fuel tank and solid-fuel booster rockets over the weekend, the agency announced Tuesday.

The mating continues preparations for Discovery's next launch on the STS-121 mission to the International Space Station, currently scheduled for no earlier than July 1.

During that flight, NASA will continue to evaluate safety procedures to assure that the three remaining orbiters have returned to a satisfactory level of reliability for the five years and 17 missions left in their operational lifetimes.

Discovery also will deliver materials for future station expansion, including the Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, itself carrying more than two tons of equipment and supplies.

Steve Lindsey will command the mission, flying with pilot Mark Kelly, spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers and mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Lisa Nowak.

ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter is also part of the crew and will remain on the station for several months. Reiter's arrival will give the station its first three-person crew since May 4, 2003.

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