ET-138 arrives at KSC for STS-335 Support Mission

The external tank designated for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission to the International Space Station now is at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch preparations. ET-138 arrived at Kennedy July 13 and was towed off its transport barge, Pegasus, and moved into Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building on July 14. The tank then will be lifted into a checkout cell July 15. The tank and twin solid rocket boosters will be attached to Endeavour for a targeted liftoff on Feb. 26, 2011. Kennedy's External Tank/Solid Rocket Booster Vehicle Manager Alicia Mendoza talked with media just before the tank was moved off Pegasus.

Category:

Science & Technology

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• STS-335
• STS-134
• STS-135
• STS
• 134
• 135
• 335
• Space
• Shuttle
• Atlantis
• Discovery
• Endeavour
• NASA
• Kennedy
• Center
• External
• Tank
• Florida
• Barge
• Carrier
• VAB
• Vehicle
• Assembly
• Building

[littlepyro]

@joachim2464 Nope. This tank will be used for STS-335/STS-135. This is the last "fresh" tank from MAF. ET-122, the tank damaged from Hurricane Katrina, will be used for STS-134. This is because they want to save the most recent tank for the last mission, as STS-335/STS-135 will have no Shuttle-based LON support. ET-122, if any issues occur with foam coming off, will have STS-335 available just in case.

[joachim2464]

you mean 134, not 335 right? 335 is a contingency mission using a spare ET tank that is already at KSC wich was damaged by hail storm some time ago. STS-335 will be sent up as a rescue mission in case 134 is stranded.