Space shuttle Discovery is undergoing leak checks on the left orbital maneuvering system pod at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center today as the spacecraft is readied for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Workers also will closeout the shuttle’s airlock aft hatch and conclude a test on the auxiliary power unit gearbox.
The astronauts are conducting a launch simulation today at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. They will work inside the motion-based simulator which mimics the movements and behavior of the shuttle. The mission control and launch control teams also take part in launch simulations so the whole team gets in-depth practice.