Jan. 14, 2009

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
katherine.trinidad{at}nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas{at}nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-010

NASA'S SHUTTLE DISCOVERY ARRIVES AT LAUNCH PAD, PRACTICE LIFTOFF SET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After reaching its launch pad at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery now awaits
its next major milestone for the upcoming STS-119 mission. A launch
dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown demonstration test,
is scheduled to take place at Kennedy from Jan. 19 to 21.

Discovery arrived at Launch Pad 39A at 10:08 a.m. EST Wednesday on
top
of a giant crawler-transporter. The crawler-transporter left
Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building at 5:17 a.m. Wednesday, traveling
less than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The shuttle was secured
on the pad at 12:16 p.m.

The STS-119 astronauts and ground crews will participate in the
practice countdown. The test provides each shuttle crew with an
opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities,
including equipment familiarization and emergency training.

The following media events are associated with the test. All times
are
Eastern.

-- Jan. 19 - STS-119 crew arrival and media availability: The
astronauts will arrive at 11:30 a.m. at the Shuttle Landing Facility
and will take questions immediately following arrival. The arrival
and media availability will be broadcast live on NASA Television.

-- Jan. 21 - STS-119 crew walkout photo opportunity: The astronauts
will depart from the Operations and Checkout Building at 7:45 a.m. in
their flight entry suits in preparation for the countdown
demonstration test at the launch pad. The walkout will not be
broadcast live but will be part of the NASA TV Video File.

Dates and times of events are subject to change. Schedule updates are
available at 321-867-2525.

To attend crew arrival, reporters who have already requested
credentials may begin picking up badges at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19,
at the Kennedy Badging Office on State Road 405. Accreditation for
new international media and U.S. media without permanent Kennedy
Space Center credentials is closed. For information about covering
these events, including proper attire and meeting locations,
credentialed media should visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/media.html

Video B-roll of the terminal countdown demonstration test will be
available on the NASA TV Video File. For NASA TV downlink
information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Discovery is targeted to launch Feb. 12 on a 14-day mission to the
International Space Station. The crew of seven astronauts will
install the S6 truss segment to the starboard, or right, side of the
station and deploy its solar arrays. Four spacewalks will be
conducted during the flight.

Lee Archambault will command the STS-119 mission. Tony Antonelli will
be the pilot. The mission specialists are Joseph Acaba, Steve
Swanson, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will remain on the
station as a resident crew member, replacing station Flight Engineer
Sandra Magnus. She will return home on Discovery.

STS-119 is the 125th shuttle flight, the 36th flight for Discovery
and
the 28th flight to the station.

For more information about the STS-119 mission and crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For more information about the space station and its crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32