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
Location Kennedy Space Center, FL
Date September 20, 2006