Space Shuttle Discovery is back in the towering Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was a four-mile, ten-hour ride Thursday, May 26, to the VAB from the launch pad. The rollback allows Discovery to receive a new fuel tank with additional safety improvements. Discovery is being readied for the Space Shuttle Return to Flight launch to the International Space Station in July on mission STS-114. Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, orbiter Discovery will be removed from its orange External Tank and white Solid Rocket Boosters. It will then be reattached to a different set that was originally scheduled to fly on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121. The new tank will be outfitted with a new heater to minimize the potential for ice and frost buildup. Space Shuttle Discovery is expected to return to the launch pad with its new tank and boosters in mid-June.
Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to use. Credit NASA as the source. Check NASA's media usage guidelines for details. Images featuring identifiable individuals may require additional permissions.
NASA ID
ksc_052705_rollback
Date Created
May 27, 2005
Center
KSC
Media Type
video
Photographer
NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Download this video in multiple resolutions. All NASA media are free for public use.
Captions
Subtitles