This document provides a high-level overview of the shuttle processing steps before flight, including: 1) The external tank arrives by barge and is moved to the Vertical Assembly Building (VAB) where it is prepared. 2) The solid rocket boosters are attached to the external tank in the VAB. 3) The shuttle engines are attached to the solid rocket boosters and the shuttle is lifted and attached to the external tank to form the complete stack. 4) Meanwhile, the payload is processed in the Payload Preparation Room and then transported to the launch pad to be inserted into the shuttle. 5) The shuttle and external tank are moved horizontally from the VAB to the launch pad atop

1. S H U TTL E
P R O C E S S IN G
( B e f o r e F lig h t A c t iv it ie s
R a r e ly S e e n B y Th e
D G S n e rO lV E b l i c - - -
I e C a Pu R )
D IS C O V E R Y

2. External Tank Arrives by Barge from MS

4. External Tank
Vertical Assembly Building

5. Removing
External Tank
From Carrier

7. External Tank Enters VAB

8. External Tank in VAB

9. Preparing to Lift the Tank to Vertical

10. Lifting Tank

11. Solid Rockets
Are Attached

12. Engines Are
Attached To
Solids

13. Engines Are Attached To The Shuttle In The Shuttle Processing Facility

17. Shuttle In Sling Ready For Lift In VAB

18. Shuttle Has Been
Moved To VAB And
And Will Be Attached
To External Tank

20. Shuttle is Attached

24. Payload
Preparation Room
(PPR)

25. Cargo Package For ISS

26. New Module For ISS

27. Payload Ready To
Be Moved to The
Launch Pad

29. Payload Carrier
Leaves PPR

31. Payload Being Moved To Launch
Pad

33. Lifting Payload
Into Position For
Insertion Into
Discovery When
It Arrives At The
Pad

36. Shuttle Discovery Leaves VAB

38. Shuttle & Crawler
TRIP:
Length--- 3 ½ mi
Time--- 6-8 hours
Launch Pad

40. Crawler Control

42. DISCOVERY
ARRIVES
AT PAD

46. READY FOR
LAUNCH

47. We Have Lift Off