NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Space Shuttle Mission STS-120

Orbiter: Discovery
Mission: Space Station Assembly Mission 10A
Primary Payload: Harmony Node 2
Launch Date: Oct. 23, 2007
Launch Time: 11:38 a.m. EDT
Launch Pad: 39A
Landing Date: Nov. 7, 2007
Landing Time: 1:01 p.m. EST
Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

STS-120: Perfect Beginning and End to a Spectacular Mission

Carrying a crew of seven astronauts, space shuttle Discovery began mission STS-120 with a brilliant, on-time launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 23, 2007.

Image at Right: Rising from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery begins mission STS-120 with a beautiful liftoff. Image credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph, Tony Gray & Robert Murray
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The prime payload was an Italian-built U.S. module called Harmony. The construction mission's two primary goals were to attach Harmony to the International Space Station in a temporary position and relocate the P6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the end of the port side of the station.

The mission, commanded by Pam Melroy, also delivered Mission Specialist Dan Tani to the space station, where he replaced astronaut Clay Anderson who returned to Earth on Discovery after spending five months onboard the station.

The crew conducted four spacewalks during the mission, including one which pitted shuttle, station and ground crews against a snagged and torn solar array. Outstanding work by the teams resulted in a repaired, fully deployed and functional array, paving the way for upcoming missions.

Image at Left: Discovery makes a perfect touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 33. Image credit: NASA/George Shelton
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After 15 days and 238 orbits of the Earth, Discovery and crew were welcomed back to Florida on Nov. 7 where they touched down on Runway 33 at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility.