Shuttle Discovery in VAB for Christmas

Space shuttle Discovery moved from Launch Pad 39A back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the early morning hours of Dec. 21. Crews in the VAB will scan below portions of Discovery's external fuel tank foam insulation for cracks and other potential problems. They'll also reapply foam after the removal of 89 sensors from the tank's aluminum skin that were needed for the shuttle's tanking test on Dec. 17.

Managers and engineers will review the test data to determine whether Discovery will be ready on Feb.3 for its next launch opportunity for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. More from MSNBC.