Kennedy Space Center employees who missed seeing Discovery's "last" move to the launch pad in September will get another chance soon. NASA has scheduled the shuttle's return to pad 39A for 8 p.m. Jan. 31, a time intended to allow hundreds of center employees a good viewing opportunity.
The shuttle will be bathed in white xenon light as it exits the Vehicle Assembly Building to start it 3.4-mile crawl to the pad. It will arrive early Feb. 1.
Shuttle "rollouts" typically start around midnight to catch the best weather conditions.
Moving up the time is part of the center's program of "morale events" intended to let more employees get up close and personal with the shuttles as they prepare for their final flights.
After the September rollout and a launch scrub in November, Discovery returned to the assembly building in December so external tank support beams could be bolstered before flight. Discovery is targeted to launch its 39th and final mission Feb. 24.
IMAGE: Discovery began rolling to launch pad 39A on Sept. 20. Credit: Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
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