The space shuttle Discovery is set to launch at 0536 GMT on Tuesday next week after a lingering debate over safety issues.

Discovery is going on a mission to transport supplies plus equipment to the International Space Station.

The cargo will include a treadmill, which is named after comedian Stephen Colbert.

Seven astronauts will travel aboard Discovery, including Nicole Stott who will shoulder the responsibility of flight engineer on the International space station, replacing Tim Kopra.

Foam fragments tore off the external tank of the shuttle on the previous two launches. This time NASA wants to make sure that the same weakness should not reappear on Discovery.

NASA is very cautious about the launch and return of Discovery as the agency has bitter memories of shuttle Columbia which blew apart in 2003, killing all seven astronauts on board.

It is worth mentioning here that ISS is a combined project of 16 countries worth more than $100 billion.