NASA's Shuttle Discovery Launches to Fully Power Space Station

March 15, 2009

John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602
john.yembrick-1@xxxxxxxx

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@xxxxxxxx

RELEASE: 09-060

NASA'S SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCHES TO FULLY POWER SPACE STATION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member
crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:43 p.m. EDT
Sunday to deliver the final set of power-generating solar array wings
and a new crew member to the International Space Station.

Discovery's STS-119 flight is carrying the space station's fourth and
final set of solar array wings, completing the station's truss, or
backbone. The arrays will provide the electricity to fully power
science experiments and support the station's expanded crew of six in
May. The 13-day mission will feature three spacewalks to help install
the S6 truss segment to the starboard, or right, side of the station
and deploy its solar arrays. The flight also will replace a failed
unit for a system that converts urine to potable water.

Shortly before launch, Commander Lee Archambault thanked the teams
that helped make the launch possible.

"It's truly an honor to be part of this team representing NASA, the
nation and the international partners," Archambault said. "See you in
a couple of weeks."

Archambault is joined on STS-119 by Pilot Tony Antonelli and Mission
Specialists Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, John
Phillips and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi
Wakata. Wakata will replace space station crew member Sandra Magnus,
who has been aboard the station for more than four months. He will
return to Earth during the next station shuttle mission, STS-127,
targeted to launch in June 2009.

Former science teachers Acaba and Arnold are now fully-trained NASA
astronauts. They are making their first journey to orbit on the
mission and will to step outside the station to conduct critical
spacewalking tasks.

Discovery's launch was postponed Wednesday, March 11, after a leak
associated with the gaseous hydrogen venting system was detected
during fueling. Technicians rebuilt and replaced seals and other
components associated with the system. No leaks were detected during
the Sunday's fueling.

NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of
Discovery's mission, which is the 125th shuttle flight, the 36th for
Discovery and the 28th shuttle mission to the station. NASA
Television features live mission events, daily mission status news
conferences and 24-hour commentary. NASA TV is webcast at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA's Web coverage of STS-119 includes current mission information,
interactive features, news conference images, graphics and videos.
Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, also is
available on the main space shuttle Web site at:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout
the shuttle mission and landing. To access the NASA News Twitter feed
and other agency Twitter feeds, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate

Daily news conferences with STS-119 mission managers will take place
at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. During normal business hours
of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday, reporters may ask
questions from participating NASA locations. Please contact your
preferred NASA facility by its daily close of business to confirm its
availability before each event.

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Johnson will operate a telephone bridge for media briefings that
occur
outside of normal business hours. To be eligible to use this service,
reporters must possess a valid media credential issued by a NASA
center or for the STS-119 mission. Media planning to use the service
must contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 15
minutes prior to the start of a briefing in which they wish to
participate. Newsroom personnel will verify their credentials and
transfer them to the phone bridge. The capacity of the phone bridge
is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

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