SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Launch Rehearsal Up Next 5 October 2007 * The seven STS-120 astronauts are due to fly into NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday evening, in advance of next week's launch dress rehearsal activities. During the week, the astronauts and ground crews are scheduled to participate in various simulated countdown activities and training exercises.

Over the past week, space shuttle Discovery rolled out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A, where the payload for its mission was installed in the shuttle's cargo bay. The payload includes the Italian-built U.S. Harmony module, which will be delivered to the International Space Station.

Launch of Discovery is targeted for Oct. 23. Space shuttle Discovery at Launch Pad 39A. Discovery was transported atop the crawler transporter from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A, where launch preparations are under way. Image credit: NASA/George Shelton + View larger image http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_07pd2636.jpg

*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