Preparations continue at KSC for Monday launch of Discovery

Preparations continue at Kennedy Space Center to ready Discovery for a 4:40 p.m. Monday launch, with a countdown set to start at 3 p.m. Friday.

Teams are removing platforms from the rear section of Discovery at launch pad 39A, and performing other "closeout" work on the orbiter and its solid rocket boosters.

The two spacesuits that mission specialists Tim Kopra and Al Drew will wear for two planned spacewalks outside the International Space Station have been loaded into the shuttle's mid-deck.

The five-man, one-woman crew for Discovery's 39th and final flight -- the 133rd shuttle mission -- today will conference with the six space station residents they plan to link up with next Wednesday, if the launch is on time.

Meanwhile, a Russian resupply ship is scheduled to launch at 11:11 a.m. Eastern time today from Kazakhstan and dock with the station Saturday. You can watch the launch live here by clicking on the NASA TV viewer at right.

The shuttle astronauts are set to fly from Houston to KSC on Thursday afternoon, while processing teams pressurize Discovery's main propulsion system.

ABOUT THE IMAGES: Click to enlarge the latest still image from live video feeds in the Launch Complex 39 area at Kennedy Space Center.