FACTBOX-Woman heads crew on space shuttle Discovery

(Reuters) - For only the second time in NASA's history, a woman is taking the helm of a space shuttle. Retired Air Force Col. Pamela Melroy heads a five-man, two-woman crew on a construction mission to the International Space Station.

Here's a look at the crew:

*Pamela Melroy, 46, from Palo Alto, California, is the commander and is making her third flight. She is married, with no children.

*George Zamka, 45, from Jersey City, New Jersey, is the pilot and on his first flight. He is married and has two children.

*Scott Parazynski, 46, from Little Rock, Arkansas, a medical doctor and the lead spacewalker, is making his fifth flight. He is married and has two children.

*Stephanie Wilson, 41, from Boston, is the flight engineer and on her second flight. She is not married.

*Douglas Wheelock, 47, from Binghamton, New York, is a mission specialist and on his first flight. He is not married.

*Paolo Nespoli, 50, from Milan, Italy, is a mission specialist with the European Space Agency and on his first flight. He is not married.

*Daniel Tani, 48, from Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, is a space station flight engineer and on his second flight. He is married and has two children.