First Night Launch Since Shuttle Returned To Flight

NASA senior managers have unanimously recommended launching the Space Shuttle Discovery on December 7. Commander Mark Polansky and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 9:35 p.m. EST on the STS-116 mission, one of the most challenging flights to continue building the International Space Station.

During the 12-day mission and three spacewalks, the crew will work closely with flight controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, to install a new segment of the station's girder-like truss and activate the station's permanent, complex power and cooling systems.

The launch date was announced after a traditional meeting, known as the Flight Readiness Review. During the two-day meeting, top NASA managers and engineers assess any risks associated with the mission and determine whether the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures are ready for flight.

"What struck me during this meeting was how complex this mission is and how it fits into the next series of assembly missions," said Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier, who chaired the Flight Readiness Review.

"We had a very good discussion on a lot of topics and our teams worked hard to make sure we had all the information we need to set our launch date for next Thursday."

Joining Commander Polansky aboard Discovery will be Pilot Bill Oefelein, mission specialists Bob Curbeam, Joan Higginbotham, Nicholas Patrick, European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang and Sunita Williams. Williams will remain aboard the station for six months.

ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, who has lived on the station since July, will return to Earth on Discovery.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/shuttle