After months of delay, it looks like the final mission of the space shuttle Discovery could get off the ground this afternoon.
NASA began making final preparations for the shuttle’s launch this afternoon. If everything goes according to plan, the shuttle will liftoff at 4:50 p.m. EST.
Discovery will head to the International Space Station with a crew of six, as well as a load of supplies and a humanoid robot.
This will be the 39th flight for Discovery. It first blasted off in 1984, and has since logged 143 million miles (230 million kilometers) .
A huge crowd is expected in Florida for Discovery’s farewell launch.
Lejon from Chandler says
Should I wait for it to land before shedding tears, or can I start now? The end of an era begins today.