SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Discovery Prepares to Roll to the Pad*

In preparation for the targeted Oct. 23 launch, Discovery is set to roll from the Vehicle Assembly Building out to the Launch Pad 39A aboard the crawler transporter this weekend. Earlier in the week, the orbiter was attached to the external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters atop the mobile launch platform.

In the predawn hours Thursday, the payload canister for mission STS-120 arrived at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Italian-built U.S. Harmony module destined for the International Space Center will be transferred to Discovery's payload bay once the space shuttle reaches the pad.

Payload canister at Launch Pad 39AAs dawn begins to break over Launch Pad 39A, the payload canister carrying the International Space Station's Harmony module is lifted toward the payload change out area of the pad's service structure. Image credit: NASA + View larger image http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_payloadatpad-lg.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