KSC-99pp0559

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-93 stack of solid rocket boosters and external tank sits at the Mobile Launcher Platform park site waiting for lightning shield wires to be installed on the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in the background. The stack is being temporarily stored outside the VAB while Space Shuttle Discovery undergoes repair to hail damage in High Bay 1. Discovery was rolled back from Pad 39B to the VAB for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The STS-93 stack will be moved under the wires at the VAB for protection until Discovery returns to the pad, later this week. The scheduled date for launch of mission STS-96 is no earlier than May 27. STS-93 is targeted for launch on July 22, carrying the Chandra X-ray Observatory