NASA green lights April 5 launch of Discovery

NASA gave its thumbs up Friday to launch the space shuttle discovery on April 5 with its seven-member crew, including a Japanese astronaut, to the International Space Station (ISS).
The US space agency made the announcement after an all-day Flight Readiness Review meeting, which found "no unresolved issues that would prevent Discovery and crew from flying a safe and successful mission."
Barring unforeseen circumstances and unfavorable weather, Discovery should blast off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral on April 5, at 6:21 am (1021 GMT).
Discovery's flight will be the second shuttle mission of the year. Only three will remain before the shuttle program shuts down for good at the end of this year.
US space missions to the ISS will be flown on Russian Soyuz spacecraft until the shuttle's successor can take off by 2015 at the earliest.
Discovery's 13-day mission will be NASA's 33rd to build and equip the orbiting space station, which is near completion.

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