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Space Shuttle Discovery is getting ready for its final launch into space, which will take place this Thursday at 4:50pm EST. The 11-day mission will deliver Robonaut, a humanoid robot to the International Space Station, along with a new storage module.

Robonaut is a humanoid robot developed by NASA, and designed to work side by side with humans, or to go where the risks are too great for people, for example onto the Martian surface. Robonauts will expand our ability for construction and discovery. Central to that effort is a capability called dexterous manipulation, embodied by an ability to use one's hand to do work, and the machines have been developed to have a dexterity that exceeds that of a suited astronaut. They deliver great value too, in the fact that they can use the same workspace and tools as humans, hence improving efficiency in the types of tools, as well as removing the need for specialised robotic connectors.

Discovery was originally set to lift off in November, but fuel tank cracks postponed the beleaguered mission. NASA has installed fixes and will be closely monitoring the tank for new problems in the run-up to lift-off.

This will be the 39th launch for Discovery, which has ventured into space more than any other shuttle. Discovery's retirement marks the beginning of the shuttle programme's final year; two other missions – using the Endeavour and Atlantis shuttles – are also scheduled to lift off in 2011.

This news item first appeared on the New Scientist website.

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