Shuttle Slow Creep Launch Pad_文教Education

　shuttle discovery sits on top of launch pad 39b after making its way from the vehicle assembly building at the kennedy space center in cape canaveral, florida, april 7, 2005.

　　space shuttle discovery began its slow creep to the launch pad wednesday after a brief delay caused by the discovery of a crack in the external fuel tank’s foam insulation . nasa later said the crack was no reason for concern.

　　the flaw was discovered as the spacecraft was being readied for the first shuttle launch since columbia fell to pieces two years ago - a disaster blamed on a chunk of foam that fell off the tank during liftoff and gashed one of the wings.

　　nasa spokeswoman jessica rye described the flaw as a hairline crack and said after sending images of it to the tank’s manufacturer in louisiana, the space agency concluded it did not need to make any repairs.

　　nasa then began moving discovery from its assembly building to the launch pad, after a delay of at least two hours.

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