Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov

George Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 07-209

NASA GIVES "GO" FOR SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH ON OCT. 23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA senior managers Tuesday completed a
detailed review of space shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight and
selected Oct. 23 as the official launch date. Commander Pam Melroy
and her six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 11:38 a.m. EDT on
the STS-120 mission to the International Space Station.

Tuesday's meeting included a discussion about concerns raised by the
NASA Engineering and Safety Center regarding the reinforced carbon
carbon on three of Discovery's wing leading edge panels. This issue
initially was brought before the Space Shuttle Program during a
two-day, preliminary review held last week to assess preparations for
Discovery's mission.

"After a thorough discussion and review of all current engineering
analysis, we have determined that Discovery's panels do not need to
be replaced before the mission," said Associate Administrator for
Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier, who chaired Tuesday's meeting.

During the shuttle's 120th mission, the shuttle and station crews will
work with flight controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston,
to add a module to the station that will serve as a port for
installing future international laboratories. The Harmony module will
be the first expansion of the living and working space on the station
since 2001. The upcoming mission also will move the first set of
solar arrays installed on the station to a permanent location on the
complex and redeploy them.

The 14-day mission includes five spacewalks -- four by shuttle crew
members and one by the station's Expedition 16 crew. Discovery is
expected to complete its mission and return home at 4:47 a.m. EST on
Nov. 6.

Joining Commander Melroy on STS-120 will be Pilot George Zamka and
Mission Specialists Scott Parazynski, Stephanie Wilson, Doug
Wheelock, Daniel Tani and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency.
Tani will remain aboard the station and return with the STS-122 crew,
which is targeted to launch Dec. 6. Current Flight Engineer Clayton
Anderson will return to Earth on Discovery after nearly five months
on the station.

For more information about the STS-120 mission, including images and
interviews with the crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle