KSC-05-S-00162

With the Return to Flight mission just around the corner, Space Shuttle Discovery is back in launch position at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery returned to Launch Pad 39B on June 15 after being mated to a different External Tank with additional safety features. Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, Discovery was removed from its original tank and twin Solid Rocket Boosters. The orbiter was then attached to External Tank 121, with safety upgrades that include a new heater on the liquid oxygen feedline and an improved fitting where the tank connects to the orbiter. The large, orange External Tank supplies super-cold propellants to the Space Shuttle's three main engines during liftoff. Space Shuttle Discovery will carry a crew of seven astronauts to the International Space Station during mission STS-114. The launch window extends from July 13th to 31st.