CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The six STS-133 Astronauts have taken their seats inside space shuttle Discovery. The countdown to liftoff at 4:50 p.m. EST continues to go well. Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe are in the two forward seats on the flight deck with Mission Specialists Alvin Drew and Nicole Stott sitting behind them. On the lower level or middeck, astronauts Steve Bowen and Michael Barratt have been strapped into their seats.
The crew of STS-133 just before they climb inside the Astrovan to go to the launch pad. Image credit: NASA
During space shuttle Discovery’s final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew members will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier-4.
Steve Bowen replaced Tim Kopra as Mission Specialist 2 following a bicycle injury on Jan. 15 that prohibited Kopra from supporting the launch window. Bowen last flew on Atlantis in May 2010 as part of the STS-132 crew. Flying on the STS-133 mission will make Bowen the first astronaut ever to fly on consecutive missions.
