KSC-07pd0941

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, STS-120 Mission Specialist Daniel Tani (left) and Commander Pamela Melroy learn some details about the Node 2, another element to be added to the International Space Station. With them, at right, is astronaut Peggy Whitson, who served on Expedition 5 aboard the space station. During her 6-month stay aboard the space station, Dr. Whitson installed the Mobile Base System, the S1 truss segment, and the P1 truss segment. Tani, Melroy and other crew members are at KSC for equipment familiarization. Tani will be joining the Expedition 15 crew on the space station as flight engineer. Node 2 will provide a passageway between three station science experiment facilities: the U.S. Destiny Laboratory, the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module, and the European Columbus Laboratory. STS-120 is targeted for launch on October 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett