Space Shuttle Moved to Launch Pad

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA took a major step toward returning to spaceflight early Thursday when space shuttle Discovery was moved to a launch pad in preparation for its scheduled May liftoff — the first since the Columbia tragedy two years ago.

The shuttle reached the launch pad after midnight following a 10 1/2-hour trip, crawling at a pace no faster than 1 mile an hour in a 4.2-mile journey from an assembly building.

The start of the move was briefly delayed 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 — a disaster blamed on a chunk of foam that fell off the tank during liftoff and gashed one of the wings.