• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Pad 39B
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: December 17 at 8:47 p.m. EST
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: December 26 at about 6:30 p.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 42 minutes
• MISSION DURATION: about 8 days and 21 hours
• CREW: Brown, Kelly, Smith, Foale, Grunsfeld, Nicollier, Clervoy
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 317 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

Work in progress: Loading of Shuttle Discovery’s external tank began at about 11:49 a.m. today and concluded at about 2:45 p.m. With Discovery in excellent health and the launch team ready to support tonight’s 8:47 p.m. launch attempt, Shuttle managers decided to proceed with tanking operations during a standard pre-tanking meeting this morning.

During the mission management team meeting, Shuttle engineers presented the results of their recent quality control review of vendor Arrowhead Products. After thorough evaluation of Arrowhead’s production history and quality control system, managers gained increased confidence in the structural integrity of Discovery’s main propulsion system lines and confirmed that the single welding flaw identified earlier this week was an isolated incident. The precautionary review also confirmed Arrowhead’s high level of quality workmanship.

The weather forecast calls for clouds to be broken at 3,000 feet and 5,000 feet, and overcast at 12,000 feet; visibility at 5 miles; winds out of the north east at 12 knots gusting to 20 knots; temperature at 69 degrees F; relative humidity at 88 percent and rain showers in the KSC vicinity. Tonight, forecasters indicate only a 20 percent chance that weather will be acceptable at launch time. The primary concerns are thick layered clouds and rain showers. The 24-hour delay forecast improves to a 40 percent chance of favorable weather for a Saturday launch attempt at 8:21 p.m. EST.