Alan Thirkettle the International Space Station Program Manager for ESA the European Space Agency participates.

Alan Thirkettle, the International Space Station Program Manager for ESA, the European Space Agency, participates in a news briefing on the launch readiness of space shuttle mission STS-120. The STS-120 mission will be the 23rd shuttle flight to the International Space Station, delivering the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. The seven-member crew includes ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli from Italy. The 14-day mission includes five spacewalks -- four by shuttle crew members and one by the station's Expedition 16 crew -- to install Harmony and move the P6 solar arrays to their permanent position and deploy them. Launch aboard space shuttle Discovery is planned for 11:38 a.m. EDT Oct. 23, and Discovery is scheduled to complete its mission and return home on Nov. 6. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton