Space shuttle Discovery is "go" for a final major thruster burn that will set it on course to dock with the international space station in a few hours. The terminal initiation burn, or "TI," will be executed a little after 2:30 p.m.
The burn will last about 12 seconds and increase the orbiter's speed about 6 mph.
Discovery will then be on course to approach close to the station within one orbit, though actual docking isn't scheduled until 5:12 p.m.
Once close, several small correction burns will inch Discovery closer to its docking target, the end of the station's Harmony node, or Node 2.
Before that, just 600 feet beneath the station, mission commander Lee Archambault will pilot the orbtier through a back flip.
That will allow station residents Mike Fincke and Sandra Magnus to photograph the belly of the spaceship. The images taken with 400 milimeter and 800 milimeter digital cameras will be reviewed for any signs of damage to heat-sheilding tiles.
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