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NARRATOR: More than two years after the Columbia accident, NASA is set to Return to Flight on Mission STS-114.
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A crew of seven determined astronauts will fly aboard Space Shuttle Discovery to test new safety procedures and deliver needed supplies to
the International Space Station. This mission will debut and test new External Tank designs and enhanced ground-based and in-flight camera systems.
New techniques for in-flight inspections and repair of the Shuttle's Thermal Protection System will also be put to the test.
Mission STS-114 marks the beginning of a new era in human exploration. And NASA stands ready for the journey.
Liftoff, Discovery.
Live from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Direct presents Space Shuttle Discovery's Return to Flight webcast.
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MS. STILSON: Good afternoon. And welcome to our STS-114 Return to Flight webcast. I'm your host, Stephanie Stilson.
As NASA vehicle manager, I've been privileged to lead the team that worked so hard for more than two years to prepare orbiter Discovery
for its most important mission yet. Now space Shuttle Discovery is poised for launch and we're just days away from launching a mission
that opens a new chapter in the book of space exploration. You're about to experience an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look
at the Return to Flight mission. We'll talk to Kathy Winters, whose job is to monitor one of the most important factors in a launch,
the weather forecast. We'll also talk to Doug Lyons, the assistant Space Shuttle launch director. Scott Higginbotham,
the Space Station payload manager, will be here to explain what we carry into space, plus he'll share some things about payloads
that might surprise you. And we're honored to have a NASA astronaut, Kay Hire, with us today
to tell us firsthand about the space flight experience and answer your questions live.