Pokestake, I also refer you to Rocky's board, msg. # 1045, in which Tim Huff clearly states (in reply to an email) that the photo referred to does not show the complete Sanswire II:
"There is a lot that this photo doesn’t show and that was done on purpose."
I also agree with you that Alicia Chang certainly appeared to know what she was talking about and she reported that the Sanswire II had a rigid frame structure and that the team was putting the finishing touches on it when she was in the hangar for tests at the end of this month.