{author}        National Aeronautics and Space Administration

{date}          06-Apr-2005

{description}   KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Looking from the Press Site across the
                Turn Basin at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, the American flag is at
                half-mast in remembrance of Pope John Paul II. In the background
                is Space Shuttle Discovery in a more uplifting moment as she
                marks a major milestone for Return to Flight, rolling out to
                Launch Pad 39B. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building
                was at 2:04 p.m. EDT. The Shuttle sits atop the Mobile Launcher
                Platform, which is moved by the Crawler-Transporter underneath.
                The Crawler is 20 feet high, 131 feet long and 114 feet wide. It
                moves on eight tracks, each containing 57 shoes, or cleats,
                weighing one ton each. Loaded with the Space Shuttle, the Crawler
                can move at a maximum speed of approximately 1 mile an hour. A
                leveling system in the Crawler keeps the Shuttle vertical while
                negotiating the 5 percent grade leading to the top of the launch
                pad. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS-
                114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to
                June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-person crew
                will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety,
                as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
                Discovery was moved on March 29 from the Orbiter Processing
                Facility to the VAB and attached to its propulsion elements, a
                redesigned ET and twin SRBs.

{highres}       1993 x 3000

{highsize}      477981

{hightype}      JPEG

{keywords}      NASA,KSC,Kennedy Space Center

{lowres}        159 x 239

{lowsize}       43892

{lowtype}       GIF

{mediumres}     510 x 767

{mediumsize}    45512

{mediumtype}    JPEG

{number}        KSC-05PD-0609

{slideres}      120 x 108

{slidesize}     15500

{slidetype}     GIF

{tinyres}       66 x 100

{tinysize}      8288

{tinytype}      GIF

{title}         KSC-05PD-0609

{type}          Image

{end}