The World's Largest Public Domain Media Search Engine
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA.  - A tow vehicle is connected to the transporter supporting the redesigned external fuel tank that will launch Space Shuttle Discovery on the next shuttle mission, STS-121. The Pegasus barge delivered the tank from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 turn basin. After off-loading, the tank will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building and lifted into a checkout cell for further work. The tank, designated ET-119, will fly with many major safety changes, including the removal of the protuberance air load ramps. A large piece of foam from a ramp came off during the last shuttle launch in July 2005. The ramps were removed to eliminate a potential source of damaging debris to the space shuttle.  The next launch of Discovery is scheduled for May 2006. KSC-06pd0410

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A tow vehicle is connected to the transporter supporting the redesigned external fuel tank that will launch Space Shuttle Discovery on the next shuttle mission, STS-121. The Pegasus barge delivered the tank from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 turn basin. After off-loading, the tank will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building and lifted into a checkout cell for further work. The tank, designated ET-119, will fly with many major safety changes, including the removal of the protuberance air load ramps. A large piece of foam from a ramp came off during the last shuttle launch in July 2005. The ramps were removed to eliminate a potential source of damaging debris to the space shuttle. The next launch of Discovery is scheduled for May 2006. KSC-06pd0410

description

Summary

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A tow vehicle is connected to the transporter supporting the redesigned external fuel tank that will launch Space Shuttle Discovery on the next shuttle mission, STS-121. The Pegasus barge delivered the tank from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 turn basin. After off-loading, the tank will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building and lifted into a checkout cell for further work. The tank, designated ET-119, will fly with many major safety changes, including the removal of the protuberance air load ramps. A large piece of foam from a ramp came off during the last shuttle launch in July 2005. The ramps were removed to eliminate a potential source of damaging debris to the space shuttle. The next launch of Discovery is scheduled for May 2006.

The Space Shuttle program was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011, administered by NASA and officially beginning in 1972. The Space Shuttle system—composed of an orbiter launched with two reusable solid rocket boosters and a disposable external fuel tank— carried up to eight astronauts and up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and lands as a glider. Although the concept had been explored since the late 1960s, the program formally commenced in 1972 and was the focus of NASA's manned operations after the final Apollo and Skylab flights in the mid-1970s. It started with the launch of the first shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, on STS-1. and finished with its last mission, STS-135 flown by Atlantis, in July 2011.

date_range

Date

01/03/2006
place

Location

create

Source

NASA
copyright

Copyright info

Public Domain Dedication (CC0)

Explore more

et rtf
et rtf