View of Discovery's left wing without the RCC panels installed. Two crew
members for the next shuttle mission appear to be in thought as they look at
the place where all of Columbia's troubles began...

-- Alan




(03/05/2004) --- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-114 Mission
Specialists Andrew Thomas and Soichi Noguchi look at the leading edge of
Discovery's wing with RCC panels removed. Noguchi is with the Japanese
Aerospace and Exploration Agency. Crew members are at KSC becoming familiar
with Shuttle and mission equipment. The mission is Logistics Flight 1, which
is scheduled to deliver supplies and equipment plus the external stowage
platform to the International Space Station.

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/tra...?mediaid=22033


(03/15/2004) --- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing
Facility, the first Reinforced Carbon-Carbon panel is ready for installation
on the left wing leading edge on Discovery. The RCC panels are mechanically
attached to the wing with spars, a series of floating joints to reduce
loading on the panels caused by wing deflections. Discovery has been named
as the orbiter to fly on the first Return to Flight mission, STS-114.

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/tra...?mediaid=22187


(03/15/2004) --- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing
Facility, United Space Alliance technician Jim Burgess installs the first
Reinforced Carbon-Carbon panel on the left wing leading edge of Discovery.
The RCC panels are mechanically attached to the wing with spars, a series of
floating joints to reduce loading on the panels caused by wing deflections.
Discovery has been named as the orbiter to fly on the first Return to Flight
mission, STS-114.

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/tra...?mediaid=22195