NASA has filled the external fuel tank of the shuttle Discovery in preparation for a launch Tuesday at 11:38 a.m. /1538 UTC, but officials say rain and clouds may delay the liftoff.
Technicians pumped nearly two million liters of liquid oxygen and hydrogen into Discovery's giant orange external fuel tank at the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Crew members have started to board the shuttle.
Discovery astronauts will install a pressurized compartment on the International Space Station. The compartment will serve as a docking port for the Japanese and European laboratories that will be launched on a later flight.
Discovery is expected to return to Earth on November 6.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.