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You're watching NASA Direct.

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Next on the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report:

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Space Shuttle Discovery spends a week in the Vehicle Assembly Building,

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where it’s mated to its external tank and solid rocket boosters…

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The STS-121 payloads are placed in a special canister and taken out to the launch pad…

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And…the space shuttle stack makes its eight-hour journey to Pad 39B atop the giant crawler transporter in preparation for launch this July!

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The NASA Space Shuttle Status Report starts right now!

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Music.

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I'm Jeremy Graeber, NASA test director, and this is the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report.

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Space Shuttle Discovery stands at its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center’s Complex 39.

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The shuttle arrived at 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 19, on top of the giant vehicle known as the crawler transporter.

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Discovery was moved May 12 from Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 to the Vehicle Assembly Building,

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a major step toward this summer’s launch to the International Space Station.

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Inside the VAB, technicians and crane operators lifted Discovery to a vertical

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position and attached it to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters.

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Next…the payloads that will launch aboard Discovery were loaded into the

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payload transportation canister inside the Space Station Processing Facility.

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The canister then rolled out to the launch pad, in preparation for Discovery’s arrival.

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Discovery's payloads include the Italian-built logistics module, known as Leonardo,

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which will carry food, clothing, spare parts and research equipment to the station.

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Other payloads include two cargo carriers which contain heat shield tile samples,

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a spare pump module and a replacement mobile transporter reel assembly.

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After spending a week in the Vehicle Assembly Building, Discovery was ready for its next destination: Launch Pad 39B.

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The crawler transporter began carrying Discovery out of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building at 12:45 p.m. on Friday, May 19.

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The crawler's maximum speed during the 4.2-mile journey was less than 1 mile-per-hour.

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While at the pad, the shuttle is undergoing payload installation, final testing and hardware integration prior to launch,

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as well as a "hot fire" test of the auxiliary power units to ensure they are properly functioning.

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Discovery's launch to the International Space Station is targeted for July 1, with a launch window that extends until July 19.

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During the 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve

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shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station.

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The next mission milestone here at the Kennedy Space Center will be the countdown

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dress rehearsal with the STS-121 crew, now slated for mid-June.  During the event,

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Discovery’s crew will practice emergency egress procedures and other training.

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That’s all the time we have for this week’s Space Shuttle Status Report --

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your inside look at NASA's three space shuttles as they prepare for flight!

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Until our next report, stay with NASA TV and nasa.gov for the latest in mission news.

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For the NASA Space Shuttle Status Report, I’m Jeremy Graeber.

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