spacetoday.net: NASA to swap shuttle tanks

NASA to swap shuttle tanks

Posted: Mon, May 9, 2005, 6:59 AM ET (1059 GMT)
STS-114: rollout (NASA/KSC)

NASA shuttle managers decided late Friday to exchange the external tank currently mounted to the shuttle Discovery with one intended to be used on the following shuttle flight. Officials said the swap, which will take place after the shuttle is rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building later this month, is designed to make it easier to implement changes to the tank designed to reduce the amount of ice buildup before launch. NASA plans to hold another tanking test at the pad next week prior to rolling the shuttle back to the VAB to better understand some glitches with sensors and valves noticed during a test last week. Discovery is still scheduled to launch on a window that opens July 13 and runs through the end of the month.