International Space Station's next element, the S6 truss segment with its set of large U.S. solar arrays will be attached to the starboard, or right, side of the station during space shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission. STS-119 is targeted to launch February 12, 2009. Image above: Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, these seven astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS-119 crew portrait. From the right (front row) are NASA astronauts Lee Archambault, commander, and Tony Antonelli, pilot. From the left (back row) are NASA astronauts Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, all mission specialists. Image credit: NASA

The element will complete the backbone of the station. The two solar wings will provide one-fourth of the total power needed to support a crew of six astronauts. The S6 truss is expected to be loaded into the payload transportation canister January 7, in preparation for its targeted journey to the launch pad January 11.

And so it goes that members of the press have been invited to the Kennedy Space Center where reporters will see the International Space Station's next element, up close and personal, at 10 a.m. EST, Thursday, December 18. STS-119 is the 28th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Discovery also will carry the S6 truss segment to the orbital outpost.

Air Force Col. Lee Archambault will lead the crew of STS-119, and Navy Cmdr. Tony Antonelli will serve as the pilot. The mission specialists for the flight will be NASA astronauts Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata.

Wakata will remain on the station, replacing Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus, who returns to Earth with the STS-119 crew. He will serve as a flight engineer for Expeditions 18 and 19, and he will return to Earth on shuttle mission STS-127.