
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crew members of mission STS-116 gather around the table for breakfast before suiting up for launch aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. From left are Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick, Pilot William Oefelein, Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham, Commander Mark Polansky, and Mission Specialists Sunita Williams, Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, who represents the European Space Agency. Williams will replace the International Space Station's Expedition 14 crew member Thomas Reiter, who will return to Earth aboard Discovery in her place. This is Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2003. The 20th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-116 carries another truss segment, P5. It will serve as a spacer, mated to the P4 truss that was attached in September. After installing the P5, the crew will reconfigure and redistribute the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. Landing is expected Dec. 19 at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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NASA ID
KSC-06pd2675
Date Created
December 7, 2006
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
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