KSC-06pd2421

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building, the sling is attached to the orbiter Discovery so it can be raised off the transporter to a vertical position. Then the orbiter will be lifted up into high bay 3 and lowered onto the mobile launcher platform where the external tank and solid rocket boosters are already stacked. Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39B no earlier than Nov. 7 for mission STS-116. The mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. The launch window for mission STS-116 opens Dec. 7. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller