KSC-06-S-00158

Next on the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report: Space Shuttle Discovery is at the launch pad, her cargo is loaded and NASA is ready to launch_ And with the launch just days away, final preparations are under way at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. We have a mission overview. Plus, we'll take you from closeouts to the countdown right now. Stay right where you are. Space Shuttle Discovery is ready to fly again and the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report starts right now_ The Shuttle is at the pad, the crew is here, the payload is ready, and NASA is poised to launch mission STS-121 with a crew of seven to the International Space Station. I'm Tim Potter, NASA test director at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and this is the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report. On July 1 at or about 3:45 Eastern Daylight Time, NASA plans to return to flight once again. So, what does this mission entail? Mission STS-121 is a continuation of last summer's STS-114 return-to-flight test mission to the International Space Station. For this mission, Commander Steve Lindsey and his crew will continue evaluating new shuttle safety improvements. The mission is expected to last 12 days. They'll also carry supplies and a