After much delay the space shuttle Discovery is due for launch today at 16:50 EST (21:50GMT). This will be the last voyage of Discovery before being retired off as part of the current US administration's plan to mothball the Shuttle fleet.
The shuttle will also bring the first humanoid robot to the ISS. The Robonaut 2, or R2, which is a joint project of General Motors and NASA. R2 will stay behind when Discovery departs the space station and will become a permanent 'resident' of the space station.
There may be another Shuttle launch in a few months with Endeavour marking the end of an era for manned shuttle spaceflight.
You can watch the launch live from the NASA website.
