Astronaut John Phillips from Scottsdale, Ariz., will make his third journey into orbit on space shuttle Discovery’s upcoming mission to the International Space Station. Discovery is targeted to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 12 at 7:28 a.m. EST.

To cover the launch at Kennedy, U.S. reporters must request credentials by Jan. 29, and foreign reporters must do so by Jan. 15. Journalists should submit requests online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov/

To request an interview with Mission Specialist Phillips, news media representatives should contact the Johnson Space Center newsroom in Houston at 281-483-5111 by Jan. 6.

Phillips is one of seven astronauts who will fly on the 14-day shuttle mission, which is designated STS-119. One of his primary duties will be to operate the shuttle and station robotic arms. Discovery will deliver the space station’s fourth and final set of solar array wings, completing the station’s backbone, or truss. The arrays will provide the electricity to power science experiments and increase the crew size to six in May. The shuttle also will deliver the first Japanese resident station crew member and bring back U.S. astronaut Sandra Magnus, who will have lived aboard the complex for more than three months.

Phillips graduated from Scottsdale High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and Russian from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1972, a master’s degree in aeronautical systems from the University of West Florida in 1974, and a master’s degree and a doctorate in geophysics and space physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1984 and 1987, respectively.

For Phillips’ complete biography, visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/phillips.html

For the latest information about the STS-119 mission and crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For more about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station