NASA assigns crew for STS-129 mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency has assigned the crew for space shuttle Discovery's STS-129 mission, which is targeted for launch in October 2009.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said STS-129 will deliver two experiment racks to the International Space Station.

The space agency said U.S. Marine Col. Charlie Hobaugh will command the mission, with U.S. Navy Capt. Barry Wilmore serving as the pilot. Astronauts on the mission will be Robert Satcher, Navy Capt. Michael Foreman, Marine Lt. Col. Randy Bresnik and Leland Melvin. Wilmore, Satcher and Bresnik will be making their first trips into space, NASA said.

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Robert Thirsk will return to Earth aboard Discovery in what's slated to be NASA's final space shuttle crew rotation flight to or from the space station. He is scheduled to return to the space station next May aboard a Soyuz spacecraft and serve as a flight engineer during parts of Expeditions 20 and 21.

Discovery will deliver parts to the space station, including two spare gyroscopes and the mission will feature four spacewalks.