AN astronaut with close links to the Isle of Man is preparing to make history by travelling into space on the final flight of the space shuttle Discovery.
Nicole Stott, 47, is the wife of Manxman Chris – the chairman of local space company ManSat.
The mission – STS-133 – is the 39th and last time that the shuttle Discovery will be sent into space.
The shuttle was expected to take off yesterday (Monday), but last minute repairs were needed so the shuttle will now depart tomorrow.
It is anticipated that it will take Discovery two days to reach the International Space Station. Once there it will deliver the first humanoid robot in space – Robonaut 2.
It will also take supplies to the crew who live and work inside the station.
Nicole told NASA: "For me this is literally a dream come true. It's something that has to go down in the history books as significant in our lifetime. It is part of our history that I think won't be forgotten ever."
Nicole, who has already logged 91 days in space, is a mission specialist and will be joined on board by commander Steve Lindsey, pilot Eric Boe, and mission specialists Timothy Kopra, Dr Michael Barratt and Alvin Drew.
