NASA says Discovery will launch Tuesday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. space agency officials completed a review of space shuttle Discovery's readiness and approved its scheduled Tuesday launch.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration managers said Cmdr. Pam Melroy and her six crewmates will lift off at 11:38 a.m. EDT Tuesday on their mission to the International Space Station.

Tuesday's readiness review meeting included a discussion about concerns raised by NASA's Engineering and Safety Center that had recommended delaying the launch to repair reinforced carbon on three of Discovery's wing panels.

"After a thorough discussion and review of all current engineering analysis, we have determined that Discovery's panels do not need to be replaced before the mission," said NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier.

During the 14-day mission, shuttle and station crews will, among other things, work with NASA flight controllers in Houston to add a module to the station that will serve as a port for installing future international laboratories. The Harmony module will be the first expansion of space station since 2001.

In all the shuttle and station crews will perform five spacewalks before Discovery returns to Earth Nov. 6.