Sun Rises on Discovery at Launch pad

Space shuttle Discovery completed its last planned trip to the launch pad at 1:49 a.m. at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians are connecting numerous cables and checking systems at Launch Pad 39A before the rotating service structure is moved over Discovery later today. Discovery left the Vehicle Assembly Building at about 7:23 p.m. Monday night to begin the slow, 3.4-mile crawl to the pad.

Discovery, which first launched Aug. 30, 1984, on STS-41D, is being readied for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for Nov. 1 at 4:40 p.m. EDT. This is scheduled to be the last mission for the oldest of NASA's three active orbiters.

Astronaut Steve Lindsey commands a veteran crew for STS-133, including Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Alvin Drew, Tim Kopra, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott. They will take the supply- and equipment-laden Permanent Multipurpose Module to the station, along with the humanoid helper called Robonaut 2.