Spaceflight Now




Spaceflight Now +



Premium video content for our Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers.

STS-120: Crew arrival

The space shuttle Discovery astronauts arrive at the Kennedy Space Center for their countdown to launch.

 Play

STS-120: Rollout to pad

Space shuttle Discovery rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building and travels to launch pad 39A for its STS-120 mission.

 Play

Discovery moves to VAB

Shuttle Discovery is transported from its hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building for attachment to the external tank and boosters.

 Play

STS-120: The programs

In advance of shuttle Discovery's STS-120 mission to the station, managers from both programs discuss the flight.

 Play

STS-120: The mission

Discovery's trip to the station will install the Harmony module and move the P6 solar wing truss. The flight directors present a detailed overview of STS-120.

 Part 1 | Part 2

STS-120: Spacewalks

Five spacewalks are planned during Discovery's STS-120 assembly mission to the station. Lead spacewalk officer Dina Contella previews the EVAs.

 Full briefing
 EVA 1 summary
 EVA 2 summary
 EVA 3 summary
 EVA 4 summary
 EVA 5 summary

The Discovery crew

The Discovery astronauts, led by commander Pam Melroy, meet the press in the traditional pre-flight news conference.

 Play

Become a subscriber
More video



NewsAlert



Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop.

Enter your e-mail address:

Privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose.



STS-120 Mission Coverage


We wrap up our coverage of shuttle Discovery's STS-120 mission with this photo gallery showing the spaceplane's tow from the runway back to its processing hangar.
   IMAGES: PHOTO GALLERY

With commander Pam Melroy at the controls, the shuttle Discovery plunged back to Earth on Wednesday, streaking across the heartland of America to a picture-perfect landing at the Kennedy Space Center to wrap up an action-packed space station assembly mission.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
   IMAGES: LANDING PHOTO GALLERY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: DISCOVERY LANDS AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER PLAY

VIDEO: PRE-LANDING STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 15 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEW: ASSOCIATED PRESS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEW: SPACE.COM PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEW: LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Discovery prepped for Wednesday's landing
NASA managers late today cleared the shuttle Discovery for re-entry and landing Wednesday to close out a dramatic space station assembly mission, giving the ship's heat shield a clean bill of health after analyzing data from a final inspection.
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY
   MAPS: LANDING GROUND TRACKS
Discovery departs the station after hectic visit
The Discovery astronauts undocked the shuttle from the international space station Monday to close out a dramatic assembly mission that sets the stage for the long-awaited attachment of European and Japanese research modules over the next three shuttle flights.
   FULL STORY
   PREVIEW STORY
   IMAGES: SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF STATION
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 14 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: POST-UNDOCKING STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: VIEWS FROM STATION OF THE SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY UNDOCKS FROM THE SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 13 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF UNDOCKING AND FLYAROUND PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Shuttle and station crews bid an emotional farewell
The Discovery astronauts bid a tearful farewell to their space station crewmates Sunday, hugging and sharing a few final words before closing hatches and making preparations for undocking early Monday.
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FAREWELL CEREMONY BETWEEN SHUTTLE AND ISS CREWS PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

NASA hails solar array repair as complete success
Physician-astronaut Scott Parazynski, working on the end of a boom carried by the space station's robot arm, successfully repaired a mangled solar array Saturday, cutting away a snarled guidewire, installing five suture-like braces and then standing by while his crewmates extended the array its full 110-foot length.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   SPACEWALK CONCLUDES
   ARRAY FULLY DEPLOYED
   REPAIRS COMPLETED
   DAMAGE DESCRIBED
   MORNING STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: POST-SPACEWALK MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: THE SOLAR ARRAY IS FULLY DEPLOYED AT LAST PLAY
VIDEO: PARAZYNSKI INSTALLS FIRST CUFFLINK PLAY
VIDEO: THE SPACEWALK BEGINS PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Flight controllers optimistic about successful repair
The Discovery astronauts Friday reviewed plans for a dramatic solar array repair spacewalk early Saturday and appeared confident they have a good shot at fixing the mangled panel to keep space station assembly on track.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S STATUS BRIEFING AND SPACEWALK PREVIEW PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Great rescue spacewalks in U.S. space program history
As NASA prepares for a risky spacewalk Saturday to save a damaged solar array on the space station, we present a look back to other historic rescue spacewalks remembered as daring and crucial. These movies recap missions from Skylab, the early shuttle days and repairing the Hubble Space Telescope.
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SKYLAB: THE FIRST 40 DAYS PLAY
VIDEO: STS-41C: REPAIRING THE SOLAR MAX SPACECRAFT PLAY
VIDEO: STS-51A: RETRIEVING TWO WAYWARD SATELLITES PLAY
VIDEO: STS-51I: MAN-HANDLING A COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE PLAY
VIDEO: STS-49: THREE-PERSON EVA TO SALVAGE INTELSAT 603 PLAY
VIDEO: STS-61: FIXING THE TROUBLE WITH HUBBLE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Spectacular footage from rocket booster cameras
Hitch a ride up and down on the solid rocket boosters during shuttle Discovery's launch. These onboard cameras provides a unique view of the ascent, separation from the shuttle and the fall into the Atlantic for retrieval.
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING UP PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING IN PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING DOWN PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING UP PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING IN PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING DOWN PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Risky spacewalk planned to save mangled solar array
Working around the clock, flight controllers, astronauts and engineers are fine tuning a daring plan to put an astronaut on the end of a long boom attached to the space station's robot arm - farther from the safety of the lab's airlock than any spacewalker before him - to perform emergency surgery on a mangled solar array.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S STATUS BRIEFING AND SPACEWALK PREVIEW PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Spacewalk to fix solar array delayed to Saturday
NASA managers Thursday decided to delay a daring solar array repair spacewalk from Friday to Saturday to give engineers more time to develop the tools and procedures needed to fix a rip in one of the outermost solar blankets on the international space station.
   FULL STORY
Engineers refine repair options for solar array
Repairing a mangled space station solar array is now NASA's top priority because of concern the ripped, partially deployed blanket could pull apart under the stresses and strains of normal operations, possibly forcing a future crew to dump the panels overboard, NASA officials said Wednesday.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: CREW NEWS BRIEFING WITH U.S., ITALY, RUSSIA PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

NASA plans solar array repair spacewalk on Friday
NASA managers Wednesday told the Discovery astronauts to forego a planned Thursday spacewalk to inspect a contaminated solar array rotary joint and instead to focus on a spacewalk Friday to attempt repairs of a torn and mangled space station solar array blanket.
   FULL STORY
   EARLIER STORY
Space station solar wing tears during deployment
Engineers are scrambling to recover from a solar array hang up that ripped a two-and-a-half-foot tear in one fragile panel as the hinged blanket was pulled from its storage box Tuesday. The disheartening, hard-to-reach hang up occurred as the Discovery astronauts were "95 percent of the way to a perfect day," as one NASA official put it, moving the 17-ton P6 solar array truss segment to its permanent mounting point on the far left end of the lab's main power truss.
   FULL STORY
   VIDEO: STS-120 MISSION COVERAGE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SOLAR ARRAY WING TEARS DURING DEPLOYMENT PLAY
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR ARRAY IS SUCCESSFULLY UNFURLED PLAY
VIDEO: HOUSTON BEGINS SOLAR ARRAYS DEPLOY SEQUENCE PLAY
VIDEO: SPARE POWER SWITCHING UNIT INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: INSPECTIONS OF PORT-SIDE ROTARY JOINT PLAY
VIDEO: RADIATOR UNFOLDED FROM THE P6 TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS PAUSE FOR QUICK PHOTOS PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS REMOVE SHROUDS FROM P6 BOXES PLAY
VIDEO: P6 TRUSS CAPTURED CLAW-LIKE INSTALL LATCH PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS HELP GUIDE P6 TRUSS INTO PLACE PLAY
VIDEO: DOUG WHEELOCK EMERGES FROM AIRLOCK FOR EVA PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOT ARM MOVES TRUSS FROM OVERNIGHT PARK SPOT PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF P6 TRUSS INSTALLATION PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF TUESDAY'S SPACEWALK PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Spacewalkers re-attach
P6 solar array truss

Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock went outside for a spacewalk Tuesday to re-attach the 35,000-pound P6 solar array truss after a two-day, 145-foot move, bolting it to the far left end of the space station's main power truss where it will remain for the life of the lab complex.
   PORT JOINT INSPECTED
   TRUSS CONNECTED
   PREVIEW STORY
NASA officially extends Discovery mission a day
Following a recommendation by space station managers Monday, the shuttle Discovery's mission has been extended by one day to permit a dedicated spacewalk devoted to inspecting an apparently contaminated solar array rotary joint. NASA managers want to track down the source of metallic shavings found inside the joint during a brief inspection Sunday to help figure out what might be needed to fix it.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ANOTHER RADIATOR DEPLOYED FROM THE S1 TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: RADIATOR DEPLOYED FROM STARBOARD 1 TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS HAVE SOME FUN IN HARMONY PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY ABC NEWS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY NBC NEWS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY CNN PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF RADIATOR DEPLOYS PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF PORT 6 HANDOFF PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Station power truss juggled between robotic arms
The space station's robot arm handed a 35,000-pound solar array truss segment to the shuttle's arm Monday as part of a carefully choreographed, step-by-step procedure to move the stowed arrays to the far left end of the station's main power truss.
   FULL STORY
Spacewalker finds debris in critical station truss joint
Space station engineers are scrambling to determine the source of unexpected debris in a critical solar array rotary joint and considering whether to order an additional, more thorough spacewalk inspection to figure out what sort of downstream repair work might be necessary.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: POST-SPACEWALK MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOT ARM GRAPPLE BASE INSTALLED ON HARMONY PLAY
VIDEO: STATION CABLING FOR P6 TRUSS CONFIGURED PLAY
VIDEO: TANI COLLECTS SAMPLES OF DEBRIS IN ROTARY JOINT PLAY
VIDEO: TANI DISCOVERS UNKNOWN DEBRIS INSIDE ROTARY JOINT PLAY
VIDEO: THE PORT 6 TRUSS DETACHED FROM THE SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS UNBOLT THE PORT 6 TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF PORT 6 REMOVAL PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Power truss unbolted from station for relocation
Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Dan Tani conducted a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk Sunday to disconnect a 35,000-pound solar array segment for a two-day move to the far left end of the space station's main power truss.
   SPACEWALK CONCLUDES
   SHAVINGS SEEN IN SARJ JOINT
   P6 TRUSS DETACHED
   PREVIEW STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF SUNDAY'S SPACEWALK PLAY
VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY MOVIE ON DISCOVERY'S ASTRONAUTS PLAY
VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY MOVIE ON EXPEDITION 16 CREW PLAY
VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY ON NEW EXPEDITION 16 MEMBER DAN TANI PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Astronauts enter Harmony
Space station commander Peggy Whitson and Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli opened the hatch to the newly installed Italian-built Harmony module Saturday and floated into the roomy, brightly lighted room that will serve as the gateway to European and Japanese research modules scheduled for launch late this year and early next.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY CBS NEWS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY FOX NEWS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY WHAM-TV PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ENTER HARMONY FOR FIRST TIME PLAY
VIDEO: CREW COMMENTS FROM INSIDE HARMONY PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Harmony module hoisted to station during spacewalk
NASA managers said Friday's installation of the new Harmony module on the space station, and work by two spacewalking astronauts to prepare the P6 truss for its long-awaited detachment during a second spacewalk Sunday, went "extremely well." A task added to Sunday's EVA is a visual inspection of the massive rotary joint on the right side of the station's main power truss.
   FULL STORY
   SPACEWALK CONCLUDES
   HARMONY HOISTED
   ANTENNA REMOVED
   PREVIEW STORY
   VIDEO: STS-120 MISSION COVERAGE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: POST-EVA MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST STS-120 SPACEWALK CONCLUDES PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOT ARM INSTALLS HARMONY ON THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: HARMONY MODULE LIFTED OUT OF PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: S-BAND ANTENNA STOWED IN DISCOVERY'S BAY PLAY
VIDEO: WHEELOCK RIDES STATION ARM WITH ANTENNA PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION STS-120'S SPACEWALK NO. 1 BEGINS PLAY

VIDEO: ANIMATED PREVIEW OF HARMONY INSTALLATION PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF SHUTTLE PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: HARMONY'S PRE-LAUNCH PREPS AT THE CAPE PLAY
VIDEO: BACKGROUND INFO ON HARMONY MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FRIDAY'S SPACEWALK PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

NASA says Discovery's heat shield in good shape
The shuttle Discovery appears to have come through its launch and climb to space in good shape with no major heat shield problems and no need for any additional, "focused" inspections before undocking, NASA managers said Thursday.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY MANAGEMENT TEAM NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Discovery arrives at space station with smooth docking
Commander Pam Melroy deftly guided the shuttle Discovery to a "picture-perfect" docking with the international space station Thursday, setting the stage for the first of five spacewalks Friday to install a new module, move a huge solar array truss and test a potentially valuable heat shield repair technique.
   FULL STORY
   PREVIEW STORY
   DOCKING TIMELINE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: POST-DOCKING MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE CREW WELCOMED ABOARD STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE DISCOVERY DOCKS TO THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY PERFORMS 360-DEGREE BACKFLIP PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE APPROACHES STATION FROM BELOW PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF THE DOCKING PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

'Outstanding' performance from Discovery's fuel tank
The shuttle Discovery's foam-covered external fuel tank performed well during launch, NASA officials said Wednesday, shedding only a half-dozen pieces of insulation - all well after the period when such debris can pose an impact hazard - with no signs of damage to the orbiter's heat shield.
   FULL STORY
   THE MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: BRIEFING ON LAUNCH IMAGERY AND TANK'S PERFORMANCE PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

No obvious problems seen during shuttle wing scans
Discovery's crew used a laser scanner and a high-resolution digital camera on the end of a long boom Wednesday to inspect the ship's reinforced carbon carbon nose cap and wing leading edge panels in a now-standard exercise for post-Columbia crews.
   FULL STORY
   MORNING PREVIEW
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: HEAT SHIELD INSPECTIONS EXPLAINED PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW


The shuttle Discovery, carrying seven astronauts and a critical connecting module for the international space station, roared to life and rocketed into orbit Tuesday, kicking off a high-stakes five-spacewalk mission considered by many the most complex orbital construction work ever attempted.
   FULL STORY
   PANORAMAS: DISCOVERY AT SUNSET | XENON LIGHTS
   IMAGES: LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY

VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S LAUNCH AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
VIDEO: EXTERNAL TANK CAMERA FROM LIFTOFF TO ORBIT PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: KSC RUNWAY PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 WIDESCREEN PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA WIDESCREEN PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 009 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 049 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 050 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 051 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 054 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 060 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 061 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 063 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 070 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 071 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA UCS-12 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA UCS-15 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-1 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-2 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-6 PLAY

VIDEO: THE CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR THE PAD PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS SUITS UP ON LAUNCH MORNING PLAY
VIDEO: A LOOK BACK AT SHUTTLE DISCOVERY'S HISTORY PLAY
VIDEO: PAD 39A'S ROTATING GANTRY MOVED BACK PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW CLIPS WITH THE ASTRONAUTS PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY MORNING'S STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY COUNTDOWN STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Discovery mission takes construction to new heights
Nine years after the United States and Russia began building the international space station, NASA is poised for what many agency insiders consider the most difficult assembly mission attempted to date, one that will test the limits of orbital construction.
   FULL STORY
   STS-120 QUICK-LOOK
   MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
   COUNTDOWN TIMELINE
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   SHUTTLE ASCENT DATA
   VIDEO: STS-120 MISSION COVERAGE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THIS MORNING'S STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY COUNTDOWN STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
MORE: STS-120 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Discovery's countdown targets a Tuesday launch
NASA's shuttle launch team has started Discovery's countdown for a launch attempt Tuesday on what many consider the most challenging space station assembly mission yet attempted. Forecasters are predicting a 60 percent chance of good weather.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SATURDAY COUNTDOWN STATUS BRIEFING PLAY

Astronauts arrive for launch
Discovery's crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Friday afternoon for Tuesday's planned launch. Commander Pam Melroy, speaking at the runway, said the crew agreed with the decision to press ahead with launch despite a recommendation from an independent engineering group to replace three wing leading edge panels.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: WATCH THE CREW'S ARRIVAL FOR LAUNCH PLAY

Shuttle boss confident suspect wing panels safe
Senior NASA managers Tuesday cleared the shuttle Discovery for launch Oct. 23 on a critical station assembly mission, concluding concern about the integrity of a protective coating on three of 44 wing leading edge panels did not warrant a lengthy delay.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW PLAY

Space shuttle wing leading edge issue assessed
The shuttle Discovery's crew strapped in for a dress-rehearsal countdown Wednesday to clear the way for launch Oct. 23 on a critical space station assembly mission. NASA managers, meanwhile, met for a program-level flight readiness review but were unable to reach a consensus on whether to replace three suspect wing leading edge panels or to launch Discovery as is.
   FULL STORY - updated
Space shuttle Discovery moved to launch pad
A powerful Apollo-era crawler-transporter slowly carried the shuttle Discovery from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch complex 39A Sunday for work to ready the ship for blastoff Oct. 23 on a complex space station assembly mission.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: CRANE HOISTS DISCOVERY FOR MATING TO TANK PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY MOVED TO THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY
VIDEO: HYDRAULIC SEALS REPLACED ON LANDING GEAR STRUT PLAY
VIDEO: FUEL TANK ATTACHED TO SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS PLAY
VIDEO: FOAM REMOVED FROM FUEL TANK FEEDLINE BRACKETS PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Discovery takes first step on road to the launch pad
Space shuttle Discovery took a short but meaningful trip Sunday afternoon, leaving its Kennedy Space Center processing hangar and moving into the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building in preparation for liftoff October 23.
   FULL STORY
Shuttle launch date stays on track after quick repairs
Work to replace suspect hydraulic seals in the shuttle Discovery's right main landing gear is going smoothly and barring additional problems, NASA managers said Thursday, the shuttle should be ready for blastoff Oct. 23 as originally planned.
   FULL STORY
Repairs ordered for leaky shuttle landing gear seals
NASA managers Monday opted to replace suspect seals in the hydraulic system of the shuttle Discovery's right main landing gear strut, work that could delay launch on a space station assembly mission by a few days.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: STS-120 MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING PART 1 | PART 2
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF THE MISSION'S FIVE SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S ASTRONAUTS MEET THE PRESS PLAY
VIDEO: BRIEFING ON SHUTTLE AND ISS PROGRAMS PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Problem could delay shuttle Discovery's launch
Engineers are assessing an apparent hydraulic leak in the shuttle Discovery's right-side main landing gear strut. If internal seals have to be replaced, launch on a space station assembly mission could slip a few days, officials said Sunday, but they cautioned that it's not yet clear how long such repairs might actually take.
   FULL STORY
NASA planning spacewalk to practice shuttle repairs
NASA managers are expected to add a fifth spacewalk to the shuttle Discovery's upcoming space station assembly mission, officials say. The additional EVA will be devoted to testing a heat-shield repair tool that could prove useful in the event of damage like the tile gouge experienced during the last shuttle mission.
   FULL STORY
Tank fix not expected to delay next shuttle launch
Shuttle program managers have ordered repairs to downstream external fuel tanks to remove underlying insulation around propellant feedline support brackets because of cracks found in the wake of a foam-shedding incident that damaged the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield earlier this month. The work is not expected to delay the next shuttle flight, targeted for launch around Oct. 23, but the schedule is extremely tight for the flight after that in December.
   FULL STORY