KSC-2011-1632

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance spacesuit technicians help STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey put on the parachute for his launch-and-entry suit before he enters space shuttle Discovery through the crew hatch in the background. Lindsey will be making his fifth spaceflight and third aboard Discovery. Since his most recent mission -- STS-121 in 2006 -- Lindsey served as chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Scheduled to lift off Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station. For more information on the STS-133 mission, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell