Space Shuttle Launch Scenes

Images of space shuttles on launch pads, showcasing detailed structures and the preparation for missions in a dramatic setting.

Cape Canaveral, Florida, May 14, 2010 - Space shuttle Atlantis' twin solid rocket boosters and three main engines ignite to propel the spacecraft off Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A and into orbit. Atlantis' primary payload for the STS-132 mission is the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1, which will provide additional storage space and a new docking port for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft aboard the International Space Station.
Cape Canaveral, Florida, May 14, 2010 - Space shuttle Atlantis' twin solid rocket boosters and three main engines ignite to propel the spacecraft off Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A and into orbit. Atlantis' primary payload for the STS-132 mission is the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1, which will provide additional storage space and a new docking port for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft aboard the International Space Station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the rotating service structure is rolling on its axis to uncover space shuttle Endeavour. First motion was at 8:23 a.m. and rollback was complete at 8:55 a.m. Above the orange external tank is seen the "beanie cap" at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, extending from the fixed service structure. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. The rotating structure provides protected access to the orbiter for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. The structure is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots about a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogenic propellant loading operations. The pad is cleared to the perimeter gate for operations to fill the external tank with ab
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis, mounted on a mobile launch platform, finally rests on the hard stand of Launch Pad 39A, straddling the flame trench. This is the second rollout for the shuttle. The flame trench transecting the pad's mound at ground level is 490 feet long, 58 feet wide and 40 feet high. It is made of concrete and refractory brick. Pad structures are insulated from the intense heat of launch by the flame deflector system, which protects the flame trench floor and the pad surface along the top of the flame trench. On the left of the shuttle are the fixed service structure and rotating service structure in open position. When closed, the rotating structure provides protected access to the orbiter for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots about a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. The white area in the center is the Payload Changeout Room, an enclosed, environmentall
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- At the top of Launch Pad 39A, Space Shuttle Atlantis closes in on the Rotating Service Structure (left). On the RSS, the payload canister can be seen half way up the structure as it is lifted to the Payload Changeout Room. Atlantis will fly on mission STS-98, the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying the U.S. Laboratory, named Destiny. The lab will have five system racks already installed inside the module. After delivery of electronics in the lab, electrically powered attitude control for Control Moment Gyroscopes will be activated. Atlantis is scheduled for launch no earlier than Jan. 19, 2001, with a crew of five
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Just before sunset, Space Shuttle Discovery arrives on the hardstand of Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. First motion was at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The shuttle rests on a mobile launcher platform and made the 4.2-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building via the crawler-transporter beneath the platform. The rollout is an important step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. Discovery's launch is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour rests on Launch Pad 39A after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Shuttle comprises the orbiter, in front, and the taller orange external tank behind it flanked by twin solid rocket boosters. The Shuttle sits on the Mobile Launcher Platform that straddles the flame trench below. On either side of Endeavour's tail and main engines are the tail service masts that support the fluid,, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter's liquid oxyen and liquid hydrogen aft T-0 umbilicals. At left is the open Rotating Service Structure and the Fixed Service Structure to its right, with its 80-foot lightning mast on top. Mission STS-111 is designated UF-2, the 14th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Endeavour's payload includes the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo and Mobile Base System. The mission also will swap resident crews on the Station, carrying the Expedition 5 crew and returning to Earth Ex
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis sits on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The shuttle sits atop the mobile launcher platform, which is carried by the crawler-transporter beneath. At left is the rotating service structure with the payload changeout room that allows transfer of payloads from a canister into the shuttle's payload bay. Next to the shuttle is the fixed service structure with its 80-foot lightning mast on top. First motion was at 3:54 a.m. EDT and Atlantis was secured on the pad at 11:17 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip took about seven-and-a-half hours. Atlantis is targeted to lift off May 12 to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. During Atlantis' 11-day mission, the crew of seven astronauts will make the final shuttle flight to Hubble. During five spacewalks, they will install two new instruments, repair two inactive ones and replace components. The result will be six working, complementary sc
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis reaches the top of the launch pad after a mid-day rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Next to the Shuttle are the Rotating Service Structure (open) and the Fixed Service Structure, which holds the 80-foot lightning mast on top. The Shuttle sits on top of the Mobile Launcher Platform, which rests on the crawler-transporter. Atlantis is scheduled for launch April 4 on mission STS-110, which will install the S0 truss, the framework that eventually will hold the power and cooling systems needed for future international research laboratories on the International Space Station. The Canadarm2 robotic arm will be used exclusively to hoist the 13-ton truss from the payload bay to the Station. The S0 truss will be the first major U.S. component launched to the Station since the addition of the Quest airlock in July 2001. The four spacewalks planned for the construction will all originate from the airlock. The mission will be Atla
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The early morning light reveals STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery, on the Mobile Launch Platform, on its 6-hour, 4.2-mile trek to Launch Complex Pad 39B from the Vehicle Assembly Building. To the left is the Fixed Service Structure that provides access to the orbiter and the Rotating Service Structure. In the background is th eelevated water tank that helps reduce sound levels during launch. At the launch pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the launch, scheduled to lift off Oct. 29. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process
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Cape Canaveral, Florida, May 14, 2010 - Space shuttle Atlantis' twin solid rocket boosters and three main engines ignite to propel the spacecraft off Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A and into orbit. Atlantis' primary payload for the STS-132 mission is the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1, which will provide additional storage space and a new docking port for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft aboard the International Space Station.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters atop a mobile launcher platform, makes its final debut outside the Vehicle Assembly Building. "Rollout," as it's called, to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida began at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle stack to its seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8.STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The morning sky lightens behind Space Shuttle Atlantis while lights on the fixed service structure (FSS) still illuminate the orbiter on Launch Pad 39B. Atlantis was originally scheduled to launch at 12:29 p.m. EDT on this date, but a 24-hour scrub was called by mission managers due to a concern with Fuel Cell 1. Seen poised above the orange external tank is the vent hood (known as the "beanie cap") at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Extending from the FSS to Atlantis is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end. The White Room provides entry into the orbiter through the hatch. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batte
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The lights from the fixed and rotating service structures bathe Space Shuttle Discovery in a warm glow as it rests on the hardstand of Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after completing the 4.2-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. First motion was at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The shuttle rests on a mobile launcher platform. The rollout is an important step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. Discovery's launch is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Discovery, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler transporter, nears the top of Launch Pad 39B after the trekfrom the Vehicle Assembly Building. At left are the Rotating Service Structure and the Fixed Service Structure, which will enable final preparations of the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters for the STS-103 launch targeted for Dec. 6, 1999, at 2:37 a.m. EST. The mission is a "call-up" due to the need to replace and repair portions of the Hubble Space Telescope. Although Hubble is operating normally and conducting its scientific observations, only three of its six gyroscopes are working properly. Four EVA's are planned to make the necessary repairs and replacements on the telescope. The STS-103 crew members are Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Scott J. Kelly, Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), and Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and Jean-François Clervoy of France, both with th
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- At the top of the incline to Launch Pad 39A, Space Shuttle Atlantis nears the Rotating Service Structure (left). Atlantis will fly on mission STS-98, the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying the U.S. Laboratory, named Destiny. The lab will have five system racks already installed inside the module. After delivery of electronics in the lab, electrically powered attitude control for Control Moment Gyroscopes will be activated. Atlantis is scheduled for launch no earlier than Jan. 19, 2001, with a crew of five
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- With the Rotating Service Structure rolled back, Space Shuttle Discovery is revealed, poised for launch on mission STS-102 at 6 42 a.m. EST March 8. It sits on the Mobile Launcher Platform, which straddles the flame trench below that helps deflect the intense heat of launch. Made of concrete and refractory brick, the trench is 490 feet long, 58 feet wide and 40 feet high. Situated above the external tank is the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm with the beanie cap, a vent hood. On this eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, Discovery carries the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment. Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny
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The space shuttle Endeavour is seen on launch pad 39a after the rollback of the Rotating Service Structure (RSS), Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. During the 14-day mission, Endeavour and the STS-134 crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for Dextre. Launch is targeted for Friday, April 29 at 3:47 p.m. EDT.
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This close-up of the Space Shuttle Discovery shows it atop the Mobile Launch Platform on Launch Pad 39-B, with the "white room" still extended, awaiting rollback decision. KSC managers developed a precautionary plan to roll back Discovery to the Vehicle Assembly Building in the event that Hurricane Georges threatens Central Florida. The decision was made in order to minimize risk and provide protection to the Space Shuttle, a national asset
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- With the Rotating Service Structure rolled back, Space Shuttle Discovery is revealed, poised for launch on mission STS-102 at 6:42 a.m. EST March 8. It sits on the Mobile Launcher Platform, which straddles the flame trench below that helps deflect the intense heat of launch. Made of concrete and refractory brick, the trench is 490 feet long, 58 feet wide and 40 feet high. Situated above the external tank is the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm with the beanie cap,” a vent hood. On this eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, Discovery carries the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment. Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload transport canister, with the P6 integrated truss segment inside, is close to the payload changeout room on the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) at left. The PCR is the enclosed, environmentally controlled portion of the RSS that supports payload delivery at the pad. At right is Space Shuttle Endeavour with its orange external tank and one solid rocket booster showing behind it. When the RSS is closed around Endeavour, the P6 truss will be moved into the orbiters payload bay. The P6, payload on mission STS-97, comprises Solar Array Wing-3 and the Integrated Electronic Assembly, to be installed on the International Space Station. The Stations electrical power system will use eight photovoltaic solar arrays, each 112 feet long by 39 feet wide, to convert sunlight to electricity. The solar arrays are mounted on a “blanket” that can be folded like an accordion for delivery. Once in orbit, astronauts will deploy the blankets to their full size. Gim
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STS-132 LAUNCH L-1 RSS ROLLBACK
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In preparation for the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121, the Launch Pad 39B rotating service structure (RSS) enclosing the shuttle has been rolled away. Above the golden external tank is the vent hood (known as the "beanie cap") at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. The RSS provides protected access to the orbiter for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. The structure is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots about a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. The hinge column rests on the pad surface and is braced to the fixed service structure. Support for the outer end of the bridge is provided by two eight-wheel, motor-driven trucks that move along circular twin rails installed flush with the pad surface. The track crosses the flame trench on a
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, slowly makes its way up the ramp to the hardstand on Launch Pad 39A. At left is the fixed service structure, with the 80-foot lightning mast on top, and the open rotating service structure. Between them is the water tower, containing 300,000 gallons of water used for sound suppression at liftoff. First motion of the shuttle out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:19 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip to the pad along the crawlerway takes about 6 hours. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A daylight view at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A shows the payload canister at left still attached to the payload changeout room where transfer of the payload will take place. The payload comprises four carriers holding various equipment for the STS-125 mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis to service NASAs Hubble Space Telescope. At center is Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform that straddles the flame trench below. At right is the 300,000-gallon water tank that supplies the deluge of water for sound suppression during liftoff. The PCR is the enclosed, environmentally controlled portion of the rotating service structure that supports cargo delivery to the pad and subsequent vertical installation into the shuttles payload bay. Launch of Atlantis is targeted for Oct. 10.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery ignites for liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission, to the International Space Station. Launch was at 4:53 p.m. EST.Discovery and its six-member crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost. Discovery is flying on its 39th mission and is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This is the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Atlantis is illuminated on Launch Pad 39B, while amber lights on the fixed service structure give a surreal appearance. Seen above the golden external tank is the vent hood (known as the "beanie cap") at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Lower down, and next to Atlantis, is the White Room at the end of the orbiter access arm. The White Room provides entry into the orbiter through the hatch. Atlantis was originally scheduled to launch on Aug. 27, but a scrub was called by mission managers due to a concern with fuel cell 1. Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays,
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' twin solid rocket boosters ignite to propel the spacecraft off NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A and into orbit at 2 20 p.m. EDT on May 14. On board Atlantis, for its last planned flight, are six veteran NASA astronauts. Atlantis' primary payload for the STS-132 mission is the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1, which will provide additional storage space and a new docking port for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft aboard the International Space Station. STS-132 is the 132nd shuttle flight, the 32nd for Atlantis and the 34th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Flames under the mobile launcher platform at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida signal 'engine start' and the impending liftoff of space shuttle Discovery. Launch of the STS-131 mission was on time at 6 21 a.m. EDT April 5. The seven-member crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the stations truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the stations exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Discovery approaches the ramp on its rollout to Launch Pad 39B. Discovery rests on top of the mobile launcher platform, which is carried by the crawler-transporter underneath. First motion of the shuttle leaving NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building was at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The 4.2-mile journey from the VAB to the pad takes approximately 8 hours. The rollout is an important step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. Discovery's launch is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - After dawn and under cloudy skies, the Crawler_Transporter has moved under Space Shuttle Discovery and the Mobile Launcher Platform for the Shuttles rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Once inside the VAB, Discovery will be demated from its External Tank and lifted into the transfer aisle. On or about June 7, Discovery will be lifted and attached to its new tank and Solid Rocket Boosters, which are already in the VAB. Only the 15th rollback in Space Shuttle Program history, the 4.2-mile journey allows additional modifications to be made to the External Tank prior to a safe Return to Flight. Discovery is expected to be rolled back to the launch pad in mid-June for Return to Flight mission STS-114. The launch window extends from July 13 to July 31.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Discovery approaches Launch Pad 39B where the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the STS-103 launch. The mission is a "call-up" due to the need to replace and repair portions of the Hubble Space Telescope. Although Hubble is operating normally and conducting its scientific observations, only three of its six gyroscopes are working properly. Four EVA's are planned to make the necessary repairs and replacements on the telescope. The STS-103 crew members are Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Scott J. Kelly, Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), and Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and Jean-François Clervoy of France, both with the European Space Agency. The mission is targeted for launch Dec. 6 at 2:37 a.m. EST.
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After rollback of the Rotating Service Structure, Space Shuttle Endeavour is spotlighted against the still-black sky of pre-dawn. At the top of the external tank is the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm and its vent hood, known as the beanie cap.” The hood is raised to clear the external tank 2.5 minutes before launch. Endeavour is targeted for launch Nov. 30 at about 10:06 p.m. EST on mission STS-97. In the background, the sky prepares for dawn. The mission to the International Space Station carries the P6 Integrated Truss Segment containing solar arrays and batteries that will be temporarily installed to the Unity connecting module by the Z1 truss, recently delivered to and installed on the Station on mission STS-92. The two solar arrays are each more than 100 feet long. They will capture energy from the sun and convert it to power for the Station. Two spacewalks will be required to install the solar array connections
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Xenon lights illuminate space shuttle Discovery as it makes its nighttime trek, known as "rollout," from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about seven hours to complete the move.This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank. Targeted to liftoff Feb. 24, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the International Space Station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis makes tracks as it crawls to Launch Pad 39A (background, left). The Shuttle had returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building from the launch pad in order to undergo tests on the solid rocket booster cables. A prior extensive evaluation of NASAs SRB cable inventory on the shelf revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis, causing return of the Shuttle to the VAB a week ago. The Shuttle rolled back to Launch Pad 39A to get ready for launch on Feb. 7 at 6:11 p.m. EST
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Towering atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler transporter in the early morning light, Space Shuttle Endeavour arrives at Launch Pad 39A after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. At its left are the Rotating Service Structure and the Fixed Service Structure; at the right is the 300,000-gallon water tank, part of the sound suppression water system. While at the pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the STS-88 launch targeted for Dec. 3, 1998. Mission STS-88 is the first U.S. flight for the assembly of the International Space Station and will carry the Unity connecting module. While on orbit, the flight crew will deploy Unity from the payload bay and connect it to the Russian-built Zarya control module which will be in orbit at that time. Unity will be the main connecting point for later U.S. station modules and components. More than 40 launches are planned over five years involving the
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The sun rises over Launch Pad 39A and space shuttle Atlantis at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after completing its historic and final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis was secured or "hard down," at its seaside launch pad at 3:29 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 1.The milestone move, known as "rollout," paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Space shuttle Endeavour sits on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch of the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station was planned at 4:14 a.m. EST. This was the second launch attempt for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 crew and the final scheduled space shuttle night launch. The first attempt on Feb. 7 was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The morning sky lightens behind Space Shuttle Atlantis while lights on the fixed service structure (FSS) still illuminate the orbiter on Launch Pad 39B. Atlantis was originally scheduled to launch at 12:29 p.m. EDT on this date, but a 24-hour scrub was called by mission managers due to a concern with Fuel Cell 1. Seen poised above the orange external tank is the vent hood (known as the "beanie cap") at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Extending from the FSS to Atlantis is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end. The White Room provides entry into the orbiter through the hatch. At right is the 300,000-gallon water tank that releases its contents onto the mobile launcher platform during liftoff to aid sound suppression. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery, secured to a crawler-transporter, slowly moves away from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 3.4-mile trek, called rollback, to the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 10:48 p.m. and took about eight hours. Next, Discovery's external fuel tank will be examined and foam reapplied where 89 sensors were installed on the tank's aluminum skin for an instrumented tanking test on Dec. 17. The sensors were used to measure changes in the tank as super-cold propellants were pumped in and drained out. Data and analysis from the test will be used to determine what caused the tops of two, 21-foot-long support beams, called stringers, on the outside of the intertank to crack during fueling on Nov. 5.Discovery's next launch opportunity to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission is no earlier than Feb. 3, 2011.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour climbs the five percent grade of the crawlerway to the hardstand on Launch Pad 39A. First motion of the 3.4-mile rollaround from Launch Pad 39B was at 3:16 a.m. EDT. Endeavour was on standby on Pad 39B to be used in the unlikely event that a rescue mission was necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The payload on Endeavour's next mission, STS-127, includes the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section of the International Space Station. They will be installed on the Kibo laboratory already on the station. Launch of STS-127 is targeted for June 13.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Discovery sits on Launch Pad 39B for launch of mission STS-116. On the left can be seen the rotating service structure, which will be rolled to enclose the shuttle for servicing and payload transfer. The shuttle was harddown on the pad at 9:03 a.m. The rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 12:29 a.m. The mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. The launch window for mission STS-116 opens Dec. 7.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour begins rolling off Launch Pad 39B for the 3.4-mile rollaround to Launch Pad 39A. First motion was at 8:28 a.m. EDT. To the left is the open rotating service structure with the Payload Changeout Room and the fixed service structure with the 80-foot-tall lightning mast on top. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14 on the STS-126 mission. On this 27th mission to the International Space Station, Endeavour will carry the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, spare hardware and equipment for the regenerative life support system.
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STS-130 LAUNCH L-1 RSS ROLLBACK
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dawn approaches after space shuttle Atlantis completed its historic final journey to Launch Pad 39A from NASA Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis was secured or "hard down," at its seaside launch pad at 3:29 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 1.The milestone move, known as "rollout," paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the early morning, Space Shuttle Endeavour approaches the Rotating and Fixed Service Structures on Launch Pad 39A after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Shuttle sits atop the Mobile Launcher Platform and is transported by the crawler-transporter underneath. Endeavour is scheduled to launch Nov. 10 on mission STS-113, the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station. The primary payloads on mission STS-113 are the first port truss segment, P1 Truss, and the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart B. Once delivered, the P1 truss will remain stowed until flight 12A.1 in 2003 when it will be attached to the central truss segment, S0, on the Space Station. The mission will also deliver the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and return Expedition 5 to Earth.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis arrives on the hardstand on Launch Pad 39A after a six-hour trek, via the crawler-transporter, from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The first motion out of the assembly building was at 8:19 a.m. At left is the open rotating service structure that will be rolled to enclose the shuttle for protection. Next to the shuttle is the fixed service structure. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Discovery in full launch configuration is revealed after the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) is rotated back at Launch Pad 39B at NASA Kennedy Space Center. The gaseous oxygen vent arm (beanie cap) has been extended to the top of the External Tank. Rollback of the RSS is a major preflight milestone, typically occurring during the T-11-hour hold on L-1 (the day before launch). Discovery is scheduled to lift off on the historic Return to Flight mission STS-114 at 10 39 a.m. EDT July 26 with a crew of seven. On the mission to the International Space Station the crew will perform inspections on orbit for the first time of all of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels on the leading edge of the wings and the Thermal Protection System tiles using the new Canadian-built Orbiter Boom Sensor System and the data from 176 impact and temperature sensors. Mission Specialists will also practice repair techniques on RCC and tile samples during a spacewal
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The rotating service structure (RSS), which provides weather protection and access to the shuttle, begins to move into place around space shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This comes after Discovery, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, rolled out to the pad from the Vehicle Assembly Building during the overnight hours. Rollout to the pad is a significant shuttle processing milestone for the upcoming STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external fuel tank. Targeted to liftoff Feb. 24, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the International Space Station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Discovery, atop a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP), crawls toward Launch Complex 39B. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building occurred at 2 04 p.m. EDT. The rollout marks a major milestone in the Space Shuttle Programs Return to Flight. The MLP is moved by a Crawler-Transporter underneath. A banner signed by KSC employees who helped process the orbiter for launch, proclaiming 'We're Behind You, Discovery_,' is affixed to the MLP. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS-114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-person crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With the Rotating Service Structure on Launch Pad 39A rolled back, the Space Shuttle Endeavour on top of the Mobile Launcher Platform is poised for launch on mission STS-88. Lift-off is targeted for 3:56 a.m. on Dec. 3. The first U.S. launch for the International Space Station, STS-88 is expected to last 11 days, 19 hours and 49 minutes, and land at 10:17 p.m. EST on Dec. 14. Endeavour carries the Unity connecting module which the crew will be mating with the Russian-built Zarya control module already in orbit. In addition to Unity, two small replacement electronics boxes are on board for possible repairs to Zarya batteries
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A closeup of space shuttle Endeavour after its arrival on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Traveling from the Vehicle Assembly Building, the shuttle took nearly 12 hours on the journey as technicians stopped several times to clear mud from the crawler's treads and bearings caused by the waterlogged crawlerway. First motion out of the VAB was at 2:07 a.m. EDT Aug. 4. Rollout was delayed approximately 2 hours due to lightning in the area. Discovery's 13-day flight will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the International Space Station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch of Discovery on its STS-128 mission is targeted for late August.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A diversified mission of astronomy, commercial space research and International Space Station preparation gets under way as the Space Shuttle Columbia climbs skyward from Launch Pad 39B at 2:55:47 p.m. EST, Nov. 19, 1996. Leading the veteran crew of Mission STS-80 is Commander Kenneth D. Cockrell; Kent V. Rominger is the pilot and the three mission specialists are Tamara E. Jernigan, Story Musgrave and Thomas D. Jones. At age 61, Musgrave becomes the oldest person ever to fly in space; he also ties astronaut John Youngs record for most number of spaceflights by a human being, and in embarking on his sixth Shuttle flight Musgrave has logged the most flights ever aboard NASAs reusable space vehicle. The two primary payloads for STS-80 are the Wake Shield Facility-3 (WSF-3) and the Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (ORFEUS-SPAS II). Two spacewalks also will be performed during the nearly 16-day mis
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis comes to a stop on the top of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after more than a 6-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. First motion occurred at 9:19 a.m. EDT and Atlantis was hard down on the pad at 3:52 p.m. At far left is the rotating service structure that will be rotated to enclose the shuttle for launch preparations. The shuttle stack, with solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank attached to Atlantis, rest on the mobile launcher platform. Movement is provided by the crawler-transporter underneath. The Sept. 2 rollout date was postponed due to Tropical Storm Hannas shift to a northern track. Atlantis is scheduled to launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASAs Hubble Space Telescope. Launch is targeted for Oct. 8.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure (RSS) moves away from space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A. The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits lift off on the pad. RSS "rollback," as it's called, began at 11:44 a.m. EDT on May 15 and was completed at 12:24 p.m. STS-134 will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the International Space Station. May 16 at 8:56 a.m. will be the second launch attempt for Endeavour. The first attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2). STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis is ready to roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building via the crawler-transporter. In the VAB workers will conduct inspections, make continuity checks and conduct X-ray analysis on the 36 solid rocket booster cables located inside each boosters system tunnel. An extensive evaluation of NASAs SRB cable inventory revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables on the shelf. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis before launching Jan. 19. The launch has been rescheduled no earlier than Feb. 6
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the rotating service structure has rolled away to uncover space shuttle Endeavour, resting on the mobile launcher platform. First motion was at 8:23 a.m. and rollback was complete at 8:55 a.m. Above the orange external tank is seen the "beanie cap" at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, extending from the fixed service structure. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Below is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end, flush against the shuttle. The crew gains access into the orbiter through the White Room. On either side of the main engines and below the wings are the tail service masts, which provide several umbilical connections to the orbiter, including a liquid-oxygen line through one and a liquid-hydrogen line through another. The rotating structure provides protected acce
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Flames and an exhaust plume under space shuttle Atlantis signals "engine start" at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. Atlantis' STS-132 mission to the International Space Station launched on time at 2:20 p.m. EDT on May 14, after a relatively smooth countdown. STS-132 is the 132nd shuttle flight, the 32nd for Atlantis and the 34th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis begins rolling back to the Vehicle Assembly Building on the crawler-transporter. In the VAB workers will conduct inspections, make continuity checks and conduct X-ray analysis on the 36 solid rocket booster cables located inside each boosters system tunnel. An extensive evaluation of NASAs SRB cable inventory revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables on the shelf. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis before launching Jan. 19. The launch has been rescheduled no earlier than Feb. 6
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the payload canister arrives in front of the rotating service structure. The canister will be lifted into the payload changeout room where its cargo of Hubble Space Telescope equipment will be deposited. The payload later will be transferred to the payload bay on space shuttle Atlantis, at right. Atlantis' 11-day STS-125 mission to service Hubble is targeted for launch May 12. The flight will include five spacewalks in which astronauts will refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments. As a result, Hubble's capabilities will be expanded and its operational lifespan extended through at least 2014.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The gate outside Launch Pad 39A heralds the STS-98 launch as Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its way to the pad. The Shuttle had returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building from the launch pad in order to undergo tests on the solid rocket booster cables. A prior extensive evaluation of NASAs SRB cable inventory on the shelf revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis, causing return of the Shuttle to the VAB a week ago. The Shuttle will undergo preparations for a rescheduled launch Feb. 7 at 6 11 p.m. EST
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, slowly makes its way to Launch Pad 39A, at left. First motion of the shuttle out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:19 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip to the pad along the crawlerway takes about 6 hours. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour, installed on the mobile launcher platform atop the crawler-transporter, moves out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for rollout to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 11:57 p.m. EDT April 16. The 4.2-mile journey is expected to take approximately 7 hours. Endeavour will be prepared on the pad for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary following space shuttle Atlantis' launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. After Atlantis is cleared to land, Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch June 13.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39a, the Rotating Service Structure rolls back from around Space Shuttle Discovery in preparation for launch on mission STS-105. On the mission, Discovery will be transporting the Expedition Three crew and several payloads and scientific experiments to the ISS, including the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank. The EAS, which will support the thermal control subsystems until a permanent system is activated, will be attached to the Station during two spacewalks. The three-member Expedition Two crew will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station. Launch is scheduled for 5:38 p.m. EDT Aug. 9
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the move of the rotating service structure (RSS). The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits liftoff on the pad. RSS "rollback" marks a major milestone in Atlantis' STS-135 mission countdown.Atlantis and its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. ST
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Less than 24 hours before launch of STS-102, photographers capture the rollback of the Rotating Service Structure from around Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39B. Poised above the external tank is the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm with the beanie cap, a vent hood. The RSS provides protected access to the orbiter for changeout and servicing of payloads. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots about a vertical axis on the west side of the pads flame trench. Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to launch March 8 at 6 42 a.m. EST on the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station. It carries the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment. Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A bright moon bears witness to space shuttle Discovery's rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, traveling at less than 1 mph atop a massive crawler-transporter. First motion was at 5:17 a.m. EST. The shuttle and mobile launcher platform are being moved by the massive crawler-transporter to Launch Pad 39A. Discovery is targeted to launch to the International Space Station Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the starboard side of the station, completing the station's backbone, or truss, enabling a six-person crew to live there starting in May.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after the rotating service structure, or RSS, at left of the pad, has been rolled back. Movement of the RSS began at 7:27 p.m. EST. The RSS provides protected access to the orbiter for crew entry and servicing of payloads at the pad. Rollback of the pad's RSS is one of the milestones in preparation for the launch of mission STS-122, scheduled for 2:45 p.m. EST on Feb. 7. This will be the third launch attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the Columbus Laboratory to the International Space Station. Beneath the shuttle is the mobile launcher platform which supports the shuttle until liftoff.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Against a sunset sky streaked with pink, lights on the fixed and rotating service structures illuminate Launch Pad 39A where space shuttle Atlantis is still poised after its launch on mission STS-122 was postponed Thursday. Shuttle program managers decided at 9:56 a.m. to postpone the launch because of an issue with a fuel cut-off sensor system inside the external fuel tank. This is one of several systems that protect the shuttle's main engines by triggering their shut down if fuel runs unexpectedly low. During countdown activities this morning, two sensors failed a routine prelaunch check. There are four engine cut-off, or ECO, sensors inside the liquid hydrogen section of the tank, and Launch Commit Criteria require three of the four sensor systems to be functioning properly. The tank's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen was drained from the tank, and preparations will begin for a possible launch attempt Friday. NASA's launch rules have a preplanned pro
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the rotating service structure, or RSS, has rolled back on its axis to uncover space shuttle Discovery, lighted against the night sky, in preparation for launch on the STS-124 mission. Support for the outer end of the bridge is provided by two eight-wheel, motor-driven trucks (one is seen at bottom left) that move along circular twin rails installed flush with the pad surface. First motion was at 8:33 p.m. and rollback was complete at 9:07 p.m. The structure provides protected access to the shuttle for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots on a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogenic propellant loading operations. The pad is cleared to the perimeter gate for operations to fill the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of cryoge
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Getting ready for the STS-123 mission, space shuttle Endeavour begins rollout to Launch Pad 39A. Lights below the shuttle fill the mobile launcher platform. The lights below that illuminate the crawler transporter. The journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:24 p.m. on Feb. 17, approximately 30 minutes before it's scheduled start time due to favorable weather conditions. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:45 a.m. Monday and was hard down at 6:22 a.m. On the mission, Endeavour and its crew will deliver the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre. Launch is targeted for March 11.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the foreground, white herons at the canal's edge pay scant attention the immense Space Shuttle towering above them. The Shuttle is inching its way to the top of the launch pad. In the background are seen the Rotating Service Structure (open) and the Fixed Service Structure, which holds the 80-foot lightning mast on top. The Shuttle sits on top of the Mobile Launcher Platform, which rests on the crawler-transporter. Atlantis is scheduled for launch April 4 on mission STS-110, which will install the S0 truss, the framework that eventually will hold the power and cooling systems needed for future international research laboratories on the International Space Station. The Canadarm2 robotic arm will be used exclusively to hoist the 13-ton truss from the payload bay to the Station. The S0 truss will be the first major U.S. component launched to the Station since the addition of the Quest airlock in July 2001. The four spacewalks planned for the constru
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida bathed in xenon lights following the move of the rotating service structure (RSS). The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits liftoff on the pad. The tower at left is used for safely burning off any excess hydrogen while the shuttle is on the pad prior to launch. RSS retract marks a major milestone in Atlantis' STS-135 mission countdown.Atlantis and its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim will lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Space shuttle Discovery nears Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 2:07 a.m. EDT Aug. 4. Rollout was delayed approximately 2 hours due to lightning in the area. The 3.4-mile journey was slower than usual as technicians stopped several times to clear mud from the crawler's treads and bearings caused by the waterlogged crawlerway. Discovery's 13-day flight will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the International Space Station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch of Discovery on its STS-128 mission is targeted for late August.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The gate outside Launch Pad 39A heralds the STS-98 launch as Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its way to the pad. The Shuttle had returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building from the launch pad in order to undergo tests on the solid rocket booster cables. A prior extensive evaluation of NASAs SRB cable inventory on the shelf revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis, causing return of the Shuttle to the VAB a week ago. The Shuttle will undergo preparations for a rescheduled launch Feb. 7 at 6:11 p.m. EST
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery soars toward orbit atop twin columns of fire, beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission. The shuttle lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 4:53 p.m. EST for the International Space Station.Discovery and its six-member crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost. Discovery is flying on its 39th mission and is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This is the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Under cloudy skies, space shuttle Atlantis slowly makes its way to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The shuttle sits atop the mobile launcher platform, which is carried by the crawler-transporter beneath. First motion was at 3:54 a.m. EDT and Atlantis was secured on the pad at 11:17 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip took about seven-and-a-half hours. Atlantis is targeted to lift off May 12 to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. During Atlantis' 11-day mission, the crew of seven astronauts will make the final shuttle flight to Hubble. During five spacewalks, they will install two new instruments, repair two inactive ones and replace components. The result will be six working, complementary science instruments with capabilities beyond what is now available, and an extended operational lifespan for the telescope through at least 2014.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Rotating Service Structure on Launch Pad 39B rolls away from Space Shuttle Endeavour atop the Mobile Launcher Platform. The Space Shuttle comprises the orbiter and an external tank flanked by twin solid rocket boosters. Above the external tank is the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm that vents gaseous oxygen vapors away from the Shuttle. The vent hood assembly at the end is often referred to as the 'beanie cap.' On either side of the orbiter's tail and main engines are two tail masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft T-0 umbilicals. Each tail mast is 31 feet (9.4 meters) high, 15 feet (4.6 meters) long and 9 feet (3.1 meters) wide. Endeavour is scheduled to launch on mission STS-108 Dec. 4 at 5 45 p.m. EST. On this 12th flight to the International Space Station, known as a Utilization Flight, Endeavour will carry a crew of four plus the Expedition 4 crew, who will replace Expedition 3
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the move of the rotating service structure (RSS). The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits liftoff on the pad. RSS retract marks a major milestone in Atlantis' STS-135 mission countdown.Atlantis and its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim will lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 is the 33r
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the early light of dawn, Atlantis heads to the launch pad, lighted in the distance. After being stacked with its solid rocket boosters and external tank, Atlantis began its rollout to Launch Pad 39B at 2:27 a.m. EDT in preparation for launch to the International Space Station. The Shuttle arrived at the Pad and was hard down at 9:38 a.m. Launch is scheduled no earlier than Oct. 2 for mission STS-112, the 15th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Atlantis will carry the S1 Integrated Truss Structure, which will be attached to the central truss segment, the S0 truss, during the mission.
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The space shuttle Discovery is seen on launch Pad 39a after the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) is rolled back on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010 at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. During space shuttle Discovery's final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew members will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier-4.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery, secured to a crawler-transporter, slowly moves away from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 3.4-mile trek, called rollback, to the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 10:48 p.m. and took about eight hours. Next, Discovery's external fuel tank will be examined and foam reapplied where 89 sensors were installed on the tank's aluminum skin for an instrumented tanking test on Dec. 17. The sensors were used to measure changes in the tank as super-cold propellants were pumped in and drained out. Data and analysis from the test will be used to determine what caused the tops of two, 21-foot-long support beams, called stringers, on the outside of the intertank to crack during fueling on Nov. 5.Discovery's next launch opportunity to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission is no earlier than Feb. 3, 2011.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis rises from its mobile launcher platform as its twin solid rocket boosters ignite and the eight hold-down posts securing it to the platform are released. Liftoff on its STS-129 mission came at 2:28 p.m. EST Nov. 16. Aboard are crew members Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; and Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr. On STS-129, the crew will deliver two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers to the International Space Station, the largest of the shuttle's cargo carriers, containing 15 spare pieces of equipment including two gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Atlantis will return to Earth a station crew member, Nicole Stott, who has spent more than two months aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-129 is slated
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' main engines ignite on Launch Pad 39A producing billows of steam and smoke as it lifts off on its STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.Atlantis with its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, lifted off at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2011 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 is the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the move of the rotating service structure (RSS). The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits liftoff on the pad. RSS "rollback" marks a major milestone in Atlantis' STS-135 mission countdown.Atlantis and its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Under a nearly clear blue sky, Space Shuttle Atlantis rolls through the gate to Launch Pad 39A on its way back to the Vehicle Assembly Building. In the VAB, the shuttle will be examined for hail damage. A severe thunderstorm with golf ball-sized hail caused divots in the giant tank's foam insulation and minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the shuttle's left wing. Further evaluation of the tank is necessary to get an accurate accounting of foam damage and determine the type of repair required and the time needed for that work. A new target launch date has not been determined, but teams will focus on preparing Atlantis for liftoff in late April.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery rests on Launch Pad 39A after a seven-hour rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At left are the fixed service structure (next to the shuttle) and the rotating service structure. First motion was at 5:17 a.m. EST. Discovery was secured to the pad at 12:16 p.m. Discovery is targeted to launch to the International Space Station Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the starboard side of the station, completing the station's backbone, or truss, enabling a six-person crew to live there starting in May.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Rotating Service Structure is rolled back from Space Shuttle Columbia in preparation for launch Feb. 28, 2002, at 6:48 a.m. EST (11:48 GMT) on mission STS-109. A Hubble Servicing Mission, the goal is to replace Solar Array 2 with Solar Array 3, replace the Power Control Unit, remove the Faint Object Camera and install the ACS, install the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Cooling System, and install New Outer Blanket Layer insulation.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the rotating service structure, or RSS, at left, has been moved from around space shuttle Atlantis, revealing an empty Payload Changeout Room. Movement of the RSS began at 7:27 p.m. EST. The RSS provides protected access to the orbiter for crew entry and servicing of payloads at the pad. Rollback of the pad's RSS is one of the milestones in preparation for the launch of mission STS-122, scheduled for 2:45 p.m. EST on Feb. 7. This will be the third launch attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the Columbus Laboratory to the International Space Station. Beneath the shuttle is the mobile launcher platform which supports the shuttle until liftoff.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the bright morning sun, Space Shuttle Discovery towers above the landscape, and cars below, as it sits on Launch Pad 39A. At left can be seen the environmental chamber known as the white room” that provides access inside the orbiter when it is in place. The white room is at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm, moved away from the Space Shuttle in this photograph. Discovery is scheduled to launch Oct. 5 at 9:30 p.m. EDT on mission STS-92. Making the 100th Space Shuttle mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Discovery will carry two pieces of hardware for the International Space Station, the Z1 truss, which is the cornerstone truss of the Station, and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. Discovery also will be making its 28th flight into space, more than any of the other orbiters to date
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Discovery, resting on the Mobile Launcher Platform, looms against post-dawn cloudy skies as it slowly rolls off Launch Pad 39B on its way back to the Vehicle Assembly Building. At left are the Rotating and Fixed Service Structures (RSS and FSS). Atop the FSS is the 80-foot lightning mast. Once inside the VAB, Discovery will be demated from its External Tank and lifted into the transfer aisle. On or about June 7, Discovery will be lifted and attached to its new tank and Solid Rocket Boosters, which are already in the VAB. Only the 15th rollback in Space Shuttle Program history, the 4.2-mile journey allows additional modifications to be made to the External Tank prior to a safe Return to Flight. Discovery is expected to be rolled back to the launch pad in mid-June for Return to Flight mission STS-114. The launch window extends from July 13 to July 31.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery arrives at Launch Pad 39A from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It took the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about seven hours to complete the move atop a crawler-transporter. This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank. Targeted to liftoff Feb. 24, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the International Space Station.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis atop the mobile launcher platform straddles the flame trench on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Behind it is the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantis has been joined by space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B. This is probably the final time two shuttles will be on launch pads at the same time with the space shuttle fleet set for retirement in 2010. Endeavour will be prepared on the pad for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary following space shuttle Atlantis' launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. After Atlantis is cleared to land, Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch June 13.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Xenon lights illuminate space shuttle Discovery as it makes its nighttime trek, known as "rollout," from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about seven hours to complete the move atop a crawler-transporter. This is the second time Discovery has rolled out to the pad for the STS-133 mission, and comes after a thorough check and modifications to the shuttle's external tank. Targeted to liftoff Feb. 24, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the International Space Station.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Rotating Service Structure, or RSS, is closed around space shuttle Discovery. Workers are preparing to replace the Tyvek covers protecting the shuttle's nose thrusters. The service structure provides weather protection and access to the space shuttle at the launch pad. First motion was at approximately 4:15 p.m. EDT. The work to cover the thrusters is expected to take six to seven hours. When completed, the team will move the RSS to the park position in preparation for Discovery's targeted launch attempt on Aug. 28 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The 13-day mission will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the International Space Station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. STS-128 will be Discovery's 37th mission and the 30th shuttle flight dedicated to station assembly and maintenanc
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery is illuminated by bright xenon lights on Launch Pad 39A after the rotating service structure was moved away. The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits lift off on the pad. RSS "rollback," as it's called, began at 8:02 p.m. EST on Feb. 23 and wrapped up at 8:37 p.m. Scheduled to lift off Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST, Discovery and its six-member crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.
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Against a popcorn-clouded blue sky, Space Shuttle Discovery, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler transporter, ends its five-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building as it crosses through the gate at Launch Pad 39B. Earlier in the week, the Shuttle was rolled back to the VAB from the pad to repair hail damage on the external tank's foam insulation. The 4.2-mile trek takes about five hours at the 1-mph speed of the crawler. Mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program, is scheduled for liftoff May 27 at 6:48 a.m. EDT STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment
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In the early morning at Launch Complex 39B, Space Shuttle Discovery stands ready for launch on mission STS-103 as rain falls all around it. Uncooperative weather also caused the scrub of a launch attempt Friday evening at about 8:52 p.m. EST. The STS-103 mission, to service the Hubble Space Telescope, is now scheduled for launch on Dec. 18 at 8:21 p.m. EST. Mission objectives include replacing gyroscopes and an old computer, installing a backup solid state recorder, and replacing damaged insulation on the telescope
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Getting ready for the STS-124 mission, space shuttle Discovery, atop a mobile launch platform, begins rollout to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. After arriving at the pad, the shuttle was secured, or hard down, at 6:06 a.m. EDT May 3. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the orbiter access arm and White Room are extended toward space shuttle Discovery after rollback of the rotating service structure. The White Room provides crew access into the shuttle. Above the external tank is the oxygen vent hood, called the "beanie cap." The rollback is in preparation for Discovery's liftoff on the STS-119 mission with a crew of seven. The rotating structure provides protected access to the shuttle for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogenic propellant loading operations. The mission is the 28th to the International Space Station and the 125th space shuttle flight. Discovery will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. Installation of S6 will signal the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased
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STS116-S-024 (9 Dec. 2006) --- Against a black night sky, the Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station. Liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39B occurred at 8:47 p.m. (EST) on Dec. 9, 2006 in what was the first evening shuttle launch since 2002. The STS-116 crew will link up with the station on Monday, Dec. 11, to begin a complex, week-long stay that will rewire the outpost and increase its power supply. During three spacewalks and intricate choreography with ground controllers, the astronauts will bring electrical power on line generated by a giant solar array wing delivered to the station in September.
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Back dropped by a cloudless blue sky, Space Shuttle Endeavor stands ready for launch after the rollback of the Rotating Service Structure, at left. The orbiter launched that night carrying the STS-97 crew of five. The STS-97 mission's primary objective was the delivery, assembly, and activation of the U.S. electrical power system onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The electrical power system, which is built into a 73-meter (240-foot) long solar array structure, consists of solar arrays, radiators, batteries, and electronics. The entire 15.4-metric ton (17-ton) package is called the P6 Integrated Truss Segment, and is the heaviest and largest element yet delivered to the station aboard a space shuttle. The electric system will eventually provide the power necessary for the first ISS crews to live and work in the U.S. segment.