Gallery
Images of Discovery STS-121, July, 2006
The crew members assigned to STS-121 take a break from training in the Johnson Space Centre's Space Vehicle Mockup Facility. From left are astronauts Thomas Reiter, Michael E. Fossum, Piers J. Sellers, Steven W. Lindsey, Mark E. Kelly, Stephanie D. Wilson and Lisa M. Nowak.
Here is a picture of the crew of the of the Discovery STS-121
The Space Shuttle Discovery 4th July, 2006
After the shuttle is brought into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) it is attached to a crane that changes its position from the horizontal it is in coming in on the transporter, to a vertical position so it can be placed on the launch platform.
This gives you a prospective of how large the crawler is. On top of the crawler is the launch platform. On top of that is the shuttle, solid rocket motors and liquid fuel tank.
Here the shuttle is being lifted up by the crane.
This shows the shuttle lowered down on to the launch platform still attached to the crane. The two solid rocket boosters on the left and right side of the larger orange colored liquid fuel tank. It is the liquid tank the has the foam insulation around it that came off causing the Columbia accident.
Below is the space shuttle 'full stack'. The shuttle and the solid rocket motors, and the liquid fuel tank (the center, large brown one) all a top the crawler. It takes all day to get it from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) out to launch pad A or launch pad B
Final approach to the launch pad.
Night photo at pad attached to tower with the walk ways to the shuttle connected. The crew uses the walkway to enter into the shuttle prior to countdown and liftoff.
A closer night photo at the pad.
Aerial of launch pads A and B shuttle on insert and pointing to location on ground.
The Space Shuttle Discovery on its way to the International Space Station. Re the solid booster rocket motors - the two white cylinder on the right and left side of the space shuttle - at about 2 minutes and 7 seconds after lift off they separate from the space shuttle
After booster separation the boosters fall into the ocean. The recovery crew attaches them to tow lines and they are brought back to Kennedy Space Center (KSC).