SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*STS-120 Crew to Inspect Heat Shield, Prepare for Docking* 24 October 2007

Image Above: Space shuttle Discovery leaps from its launch pad Tuesday morning to start STS-120. Photo courtesy of Reuters/Scott Audette + View larger image http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_sts120launch1.jpg

During its first full day in orbit, the STS-120 crew will inspect Space Shuttle Discovery’s heat shield and prepare for Thursday’s arrival at the International Space Station.

Crew members will use Discovery’s robotic arm and orbiter boom extension to check out the spacecraft’s nosecap and the leading edges of its wings. The inspections are conducted to see if any damage occurred to the heat shield during the climb to orbit that began when Discovery lifted off at 11:38 a.m. EDT Tuesday from Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

In preparation for Thursday’s activities, the crew will extend the shuttle’s docking ring and check out tools they will use to rendezvous and link up with the station. Discovery and its crew will arrive at the station at about 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

The crew members are also slated to check out spacesuits they will use during the mission’s five scheduled spacewalks at the station. One of the major objectives of the spacewalks is the temporary installation of the station’s newest component, the Node 2 module, also known as Harmony. In addition, the crew will also relocate the station’s P6 truss and solar arrays.

STS-120 is also delivering a new crew member to the station.

*Mission Information* + STS-120 Mission Overview http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html + Harmony Node 2 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/harmony_payload.html

+ Space Shuttle Discovery http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html