Discovery's STS-131 payload canister is raised into the launch pad's payload changeout room. Credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

The shuttle Discovery is sitting on the launch pad being readied for a scheduled April 5th launch.  You can see the payload canister being readied to load into the payload bay in the image above.  The crew members are having their prelaunch physicals.

This will be the 33rd trip to the International Space Station in what will be known as STS-131 when Discovery  lifts off.

The STS-131 mission will be staffed by:

• Commander Alan Poindexter
• Pilot Jim Dutton
• Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio, Clay Anderson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson and Naoko Yamazaki of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

The mission will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module filled with science racks for the laboratories aboard the station. There will be three planned spacewalks, with work to include replacing an ammonia tank assembly, retrieving a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior, and switching out a rate gyro assembly on the S0 segment of the station’s truss structure.

We’re coming down to it folks, only three more scheduled missions after this one.  Somehow it seems fitting Discovery will be the last scheduled shuttle to visit the ISS.  That is unless of course,  somebody in Washington decides taking a back seat to the world in the space pursuits is not a very good idea and decides to keep things going.