Image: In highbay 1 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, technicians begin to carefully sand away the red dye that has been applied to the external tank to help expose cracks or compression dents.

When NASA’s space shuttle Discovery launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., May 31, it was lifted from the launch pad with the help of a “new” external fuel tank, ET-128, which featured ...

The last two Space Shuttle External Tanks (ET’s) likely to be produced in history are entering their final closeout assembly operations at the NASA-owned Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans ...

NASA will ship its second redesigned Space Shuttle External Tank Saturday, March 5, from Michoud Assembly Facility, near New Orleans., marking the first step toward final launch preparations for the ...

Even as it prepares Space Shuttle Discovery for its scheduled launch tomorrow, NASA plans continued external tank (ET) testing. In late September the agency will windtunnel test another ET ice frost ...

NASA and space shuttle external tank manufacturer Lockheed Martin successfully completed the Design Certification Review (DCR) for the tank that will be used for the shuttle's return to flight mission ...

NASA has mated the redesigned external tank to the twin solid rocket boosters as it continues preparations to launch the STS 114/Discovery Space Shuttle return to flight mission between 15 May and 3 ...

Favorably placed skywatchers in western and central Europe will get a rare opportunity tomorrow evening (April 29) to watch as the space shuttle Endeavour – on its 25th and final mission into space — ...

As one team of shuttle engineers works to pry NASA’s Discovery orbiter from its external tank, another is patiently waiting to fulfill its role as spaceship movers. Shuttle transport workers rely on a ...