KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Pegasus barge is towed toward the turn basin dock in the Launch Complex 39 Area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Onboard the barge is the external tank No. 123, designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. The tank, which was shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - One of the boats towing the Pegasus barge moves beside it to help with docking at the turn basin in the Launch Complex 39 Area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Onboard the barge is the external tank No. 123, designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. The tank, which was shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Pegasus barge approaches the turn basin dock in the Launch Complex 39 Area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Onboard the barge is the external tank No. 123, designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. At left is the 525-foot-high Vehicle Assembly Building where the external tank will go after offloading from the barge. The tank, which was shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External tank No. 123 makes the turn toward the Vehicle Assembly Building after being offloaded from the Pegasus barge in the turn basin at the Launch Complex 39 Area. Once inside the VAB, the tank will be lifted into a checkout cell for further work. Shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, the tank has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. It is designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External tank No. 123 is being transported from the Pegasus barge in the turn basin at the Launch Complex 39 Area to the Vehicle Assembly Building where it will be lifted into a checkout cell for further work. The tank, shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. It is designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External tank No. 123 is offloaded from the Pegasus barge in the turn basin at the Launch Complex 39 Area. Designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December, the tank is being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building where it will be lifted into a checkout cell for further work. The tank, which was shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External tank No. 123 makes the turn toward the Vehicle Assembly Building after being offloaded from the Pegasus barge in the turn basin at the Launch Complex 39 Area. Once inside the VAB, the tank will be lifted into a checkout cell for further work. Shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, the tank has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. It is designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External tank No. 123 heads toward the open doorway of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Once inside the VAB, the tank will be lifted into a checkout cell for further work. Shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, the tank has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. It is designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the Pegasus barge can be seen external tank No. 123, designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. Now docked at the turn basin dock in the Launch Complex 39 Area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the barge was towed from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The tank has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. The tank will be offloaded and transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External tank No. 123 moves into the Vehicle Assembly Building where it will be lifted into a checkout cell for further work. Shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, the tank has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. It is designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External tank No. 123 heads into the open doorway of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Once inside the VAB, the tank will be lifted into a checkout cell for further work. Shipped from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, the tank has undergone major safety changes, including removal of the protuberance air load ramps. It is designated to launch Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 in December. Mission STS-116 will deliver the P5 truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. Launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller