Space Shuttle Payload and Launch Preparation

Images of Space Shuttle payloads and maintenance activities at the Kennedy Space Center, highlighting aerospace technology.

The Orion Spacecraft Crew and Service Module is being prepared for Electromagnetic Interference. EMI testing as part of testing to be certified for launch for the first Artemis mission

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Pad 39B, the cargo in Space Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay is seen before the closing of the bay doors. The cargo is the 17-and-a-half-ton P3/P4 truss segment for the International Space Station. Scheduled to launch Aug. 27, Atlantis will fly on mission STS-115 with a crew of six to deliver and install the P3/P4 segment to the port side of the integrated truss system on the orbital outpost. The truss includes a new set of photovoltaic solar arrays. When unfurled to their full length of 240 feet, the arrays will provide additional power for the station in preparation for the delivery of international science modules over the next two years. STS-115 is expected to last 11 days and includes three scheduled spacewalks.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A Rudder Speed Brake Actuator is being removed from the orbiter Atlantis for shipment to the vendor for inspection. An actuator is a motor that moves the tail rudder back and forth to help steer it during landing and brake its speed. The vertical tail consists of a structural fin surface made of aluminum, the Rudder Speed Brake surface, a tip and a lower trailing edge. The rudder splits into two halves to serve as a speed brake. The vertical tail and Rudder Speed Brake are covered with a reusable thermal protection system. Atlantis is undergoing maintenance and inspection in the Orbiter Processing Facility for a future mission.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With the payload successfully installed inside, the payload bay doors on Space Shuttle Discovery are closing. Seen here are the SPACEHAB module at left and the orbiter docking system at right. The shuttle is on Launch Pad 39B, ready for launch on mission STS-116 scheduled no earlier than Dec. 7.

STS-335 Atlantis Payload Bay Door Closure for Holiday

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Pad 39B, Space Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay doors are being closed for launch. Inside is seen the orbiter's cargo, the 17-and-a-half-ton P3/P4 truss segment for the International Space Station. Scheduled to launch Aug. 27, Atlantis will fly on mission STS-115 with a crew of six to deliver and install the P3/P4 segment to the port side of the integrated truss system on the orbital outpost. The truss includes a new set of photovoltaic solar arrays. When unfurled to their full length of 240 feet, the arrays will provide additional power for the station in preparation for the delivery of international science modules over the next two years. STS-115 is expected to last 11 days and includes three scheduled spacewalks.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- From inside the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure on Launch Pad 39B, the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo is lowered into Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay. The payload ground-handling mechanism (PGHM) is used to transfer the module into the payload bay. Leonardo is a reusable logistics carrier. It is the primary delivery system used to resupply and return station cargo requiring a pressurized environment. Leonardo is part of the payload on mission STS-121. Other payloads include the integrated cargo carrier with the mobile transporter reel assembly and a spare pump module, and the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier. Discovery is scheduled to launch in a window extending from July 1 through July 19.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building, the Joint Airlock Module waits for transfer to the payload canister behind it after which it will be moved to the Space Station Processing Facility. There it will continue to undergo preflight processing for the STS-104 mission scheduled for launch aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis May 17, 2001. The Joint Airlock Module is the gateway from which crew members aboard the International Space Station will enter and exit the 470-ton orbiting research facility

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the S6 truss segment is on display for the media. The S6 truss segment, with its set of large U.S. solar arrays, will be attached to the starboard, or right, side of the station during space shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission. The S6 truss will complete the backbone of the station. The two solar wings will provide one-fourth of the total power needed to support a crew of six astronauts. The segment is expected to be loaded into the payload transportation canister Jan. 7, in preparation for its targeted journey to the launch pad Jan. 11.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a United Space Alliance technician prepares the right-hand orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod for removal from Discovery. Removal of the OMS pods is part of the orbiter processing activities to prepare Discovery for its next launch, the STS-133 mission. The STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for launch in the fall of 2010. Discoverys six-person crew will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier 4.

The Orion Spacecraft Crew and Service Module is being prepared for Electromagnetic Interference. EMI testing as part of testing to be certified for launch for the first Artemis mission

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., multi-level work stands surround the encapsulated GOES-N spacecraft. Workers are using the stand to detach the fairing from around the spacecraft. Workers will use the stand to begin detaching the fairing from around the spacecraft. The fairing protects the spacecraft during launch and flight through the atmosphere. Once out of the atmosphere, the fairing is jettisoned. Removing the fairing will allow workers access to the spacecraft. GOES-N was demated from its Boeing Delta IV launch vehicle when the launch was postponed in August 2005 due to technical issues. Due to the extended length of time the spacecraft had been atop the Delta IV rocket without launching, the weather satellite was returned to Astrotech for some precautionary retesting and state of health checks. GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites for NOAA and NASA pr

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft is placed inside the payload canister in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at KSC. Spartan is one of the payloads for the STS-95 mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. The objective of the observations is to investigate the mechanisms causing the heating of the solar corona and the acceleration of the solar wind which originates in the corona. Other research payloads include the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the clamshell doors of space shuttle Discovery's payload bay begin to close in preparation for the its move to the Vehicle Assembly Building next month. There, it will be attached to its external fuel tank and a set of solid rocket boosters for launch on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.Targeted to launch Nov. 1, STS-133 will carry the multipurpose logistics module, or PMM, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, or R2, to the station. Discovery will leave the module behind so it can be used for microgravity experiments in fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Positioned on a platform inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the news media photograph space shuttle Endeavour's open payload bay. Ongoing transition and retirement activities are preparing the spacecraft for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions during its 19-year career.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In high bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the suspended external tank is lowered toward the mobile launcher platform. The tank will be mated with the solid rocket boosters, or SRBs, already installed on the platform. The boosters' nose cones can be seen in the foreground and behind the tank. Work to remove and replace the feed-through connector on the external tank will be done in parallel with integrated ET/SRB testing in preparation for space shuttle Endeavour to join the stack later in January. The STS-123 mission is targeted for launch on Endeavour in mid-March. The 25th assembly flight to the International Space Station, Endeavour's payload includes the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, the P6 integrated truss segment is placed in the payload transport canister while workers watch its progress. After being secured in the canister, the truss will be transported to Launch Pad 39B and the payload changeout room. Then it will be moved into Space Shuttle Endeavours payload bay for mission STS-97. The P6 comprises Solar Array Wing-3 and the Integrated Electronic Assembly, to be installed on the 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. Gimbals will be used to rotate the arrays so that they will face the Sun to provide maximum power to the Space Station. The STS-97 launch is scheduled Nov. 30 at 10:06 p.m. EST

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians in the payload changeout room have maneuvered space shuttle Atlantis' cargo, the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) into the shuttle's payload bay using the payload ground-handling mechanism at Launch Pad 39A. The rotating service structure that protects the shuttle from the elements and provides access has been moved back into place.STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim are targeted to lift off on Atlantis July 8, taking with them the MPLM packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts to the station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a large crane and support equipment are lifted high and moved toward space shuttle Atlantis in preparation for removal of the left orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Atlantis. The OMS pods will be sent to White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico where they will undergo a complete deservicing and cleaning and then be returned to Kennedy for reinstallation on Atlantis. Atlantis is being prepared for display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour's payload bay doors are ready for closure and launch on mission STS-108. Inside the bay is the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello (foreground), carrying supplies, equipment and experiments for the International Space Station. Sharing the payload bay are several carriers with varying experiment packages, such as Starshine-2, a Get-Away Special. Endeavour is scheduled to launch Nov. 29 on this first Utilization Flight to the International Space Station. Endeavour will also carry the replacement Expedition 4 crew to the Station and return to Earth with the Expedition 3 crew

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a view from above shows United Space Alliance technicians assisting with the removal of the large crane that was used to lower the right orbital maneuvering system OMS pod onto space shuttle Endeavour. The OMS pod underwent complete deservicing and cleaning at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, part of the transition and retirement processing of each shuttle. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians prepare to reinstall on space shuttle Atlantis the orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod heading their way.The orbital maneuvering system provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system. The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttle's aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home, a 65,000-square-foot exh

Technicians on work platforms monitor the progress as a crane brings the third of four Ogive panels closer for installation on Orion's Launch Abort System inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The panels will smooth the airflow over the conical spacecraft to limit sound and vibration, which will make for a much smoother ride for the astronauts who will ride inside Orion in the future. The work marked the final major assembly steps for the spacecraft before it is transported to Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in November. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch in December 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the aft section on space shuttle Discovery is set to accept the installation of the right-hand orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod. Discovery and its crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, or PMM, which will carry supplies and critical spare parts on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. The module will be left behind so it can be used for microgravity experiments in fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the camera captures a last look at space shuttle Discoverys payload bay before its payload bay doors are closed for the final time during Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement activities.Following the door closure, the vehicle will be powered down for the last time. Discovery is being prepared for public display at the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., in 2012.

SIX OF THE EIGHTEEN JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE MIRROR SEGMENTS ARE BEING PREPPED TO MOVE INTO THE X-RAY AND CRYOGENIC FACILITY FOR TESTING.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the external fuel tank for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission is lowered into high bay 3. It will be installed on the mobile launcher platform and attached to the solid rocket boosters already there. Atlantis' STS-125 mission is the fifth and final shuttle servicing mission to NASAs Hubble Space Telescope. Launch is targeted for May 12.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the encapsulated GOES-N satellite is surrounded by work platforms. GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites for NOAA and NASA providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. GOES-N will be launched May 18 on a Boeing Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, an overhead crane carrying the P3 Integrated Truss Structure moves into place over a workstand where it will deposit the truss. The port-side P3 truss is scheduled to be added to the International Space Station on mission STS-115 in 2002 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. The P3 will be attached to the first port truss segment, P1, being installed in an earlier mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the equipment and hardware needed to service the Hubble Space Telescope are transferred from the payload changeout room to space shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay. Launch of Atlantis' 11-day STS-125 mission to Hubble is targeted for May 12. The flight will include five spacewalks during 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A, Endeavour's payload bay doors are again closed and secure for launch. The payload bay doors were opened to allow for payload closeouts, including camera tests on the shuttle robotic arm and the extension, known as the orbiter boom sensor system. Endeavour is scheduled to launch Aug. 7 on mission STS-118, the 22nd flight to the International Space Station. NASA/Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician monitors the progress as one of space shuttle Endeavours payload bay doors is opened so that an antenna can be retracted. Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement work continues on Discovery and Endeavour in the orbiter processing facilities, while shuttle Atlantis is in temporary storage in high bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Endeavour is being prepared for display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers on Launch Pad 39B watch closely as Space Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay doors begin to close. Inside the payload bay is the orbiter's cargo, the 17-and-a-half-ton P3/P4 truss segment for the International Space Station. Mission STS-115 is scheduled to lift off about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 27. The crew will deliver and install the P3/P4 segment to the port side of the integrated truss system on the International Space Station. The truss includes a new set of photovoltaic solar arrays. When unfurled to their full length of 240 feet, the arrays will provide additional power for the station in preparation for the delivery of international science modules over the next two years. The mission is expected to last 11 days and includes three scheduled spacewalks.

The first of four Ogive panels is lifted by crane for installation on Orion's Launch Abort System inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The panels will smooth the airflow over the conical spacecraft to limit sound and vibration, which will make for a much smoother ride for the astronauts who will ride inside Orion in the future. The work marked the final major assembly steps for the spacecraft before it is transported to Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in November. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch in December 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket, and in 2018 on NASAs Space Launch System r

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An overhead crane lowers the Hitchhiker Bridge with GetAway Special canisters (GAS cans) into the payload canister below. The bridge, a carrier for the Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR) that incorporates eight high priority secondary attached shuttle experiments, is being transferred to the payload canister below it. The bridge will be installed in Columbia's payload bay as part of mission STS-107. A research mission, STS-107 will also carry the SHI Research Double Module (SHI_RDM), known as SPACEHAB. Experiments on the module range from material sciences to life sciences (many rats). STS-107 is scheduled to launch July 19, 2002

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Launch Pad 39B, the payloads for mission STS-121 are being moved from the payload changeout room into Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay. At lower right is the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo. Above it is the integrated cargo carrier that holds the mobile transporter reel assembly the astronauts will replace on the station and a spare pump module. Discovery is scheduled to launch at 3:48 p.m. July 1 carrying a crew of seven on the 12-day mission to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians monitor the progress as a large crane lifts the right orbital maneuvering system OMS pod high in the air for installation on space shuttle Endeavour. The OMS pod underwent complete deservicing and cleaning at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, part of the transition and retirement processing of each shuttle. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- One of Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay doors is nearly closed. Still visible are two major payload components, the SPACEHAB module on top and the P5 truss below. Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 is scheduled no earlier than Dec. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the launch tower on Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Boeing Delta II second stage is lowered toward the first stage. The mating of the two stages will complete the erection of the launch vehicle for NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground. Consisting of an 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF is one of NASA's largest infrared telescopes to be launched.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, processing of space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay is complete and its doors will be closed for the shuttle's move to the Vehicle Assembly Building.The move, or "rollover," is targeted for Dec. 12. The Tranquility module, the payload for Endeavour's STS-130 mission to the International Space Station, will be installed in the payload bay after the shuttle has reached the pad. Endeavour's launch is targeted for Feb. 4, 2010.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- -- The payload for mission STS-112 rests inside the payload bay of Space Shuttle Atlantis. The Shuttle is carrying the S1 Integrated Truss Structure, the first starboard truss segment, to be attached to the central truss segment, S0, plus the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart A. The CETA is the first of two human-powered carts that will ride along the ISS railway, providing mobile work platforms for future spacewalking astronauts. Launch of Atlantis is scheduled for Oct. 2 with a crew of six. The 11-day mission includes three spacewalks.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians in the payload changeout room have maneuvered space shuttle Atlantis' cargo, the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) into the shuttle's payload bay using the payload ground-handling mechanism at Launch Pad 39A. The rotating service structure that protects the shuttle from the elements and provides access has been moved back into place.STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim are targeted to lift off on Atlantis July 8, taking with them the MPLM packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts to the station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission

A Starliner structural test article at Boeing's Huntington Beach Facility in California, where the spacecraft, including the service module and other hardware of the Atlas V upper stage, are undergoing rigorous qualification testing, including tests like shock, separation and vibration. Boeings CST-100 Starliner will launch on the Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the tail cone approaches the replica main engines at it is moved into position for attachment to the space shuttle Endeavour. The tail cone covers the main engines in the aft providing aerodynamic stability during the cross-country ferry flight.The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Its ferry flight to California is targeted for mid-September. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a Ku-band antenna is stowed at the forward end of space shuttle Endeavours payload bay in preparation for final closure of the shuttles payload bay doors.The antenna, which resembles a mini-satellite dish, was used to transmit audio, video and data between the shuttle and ground stations on Earth. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Its ferry flight to California is targeted for mid-September. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Technicians in the Payload Changeout Room at Launch Pad 39B are removing the batteries from the Hubble Space Telescope for recharging. The two sets of six batteries apiece will be taken to the battery lab inside the Vehicle Assembly Building for 130 hours of recharging, and then reinstalled in the telescope. The recharging became necessary when the first launch attempt of Space Shuttle Mission STS-31 was scrubbed April 10. A second try is set for April 24 at 8 31 a.m. EDT.

Airbus - Orion, Service-Modul ESM 09.10.2020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A, the payload ground-handling mechanism moves back after placing the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo in space shuttle Discovery's payload bay. Leonardo is the primary payload on Discovery's STS-128 mission to the International Space Station. Beneath the module is the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier. Discovery will deliver 33,000 pounds of equipment to the station, including science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch is targeted for late August.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians on work platforms continue the installation of four Ogive panels on Orion's Launch Abort System inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The panels will smooth the airflow over the conical spacecraft to limit sound and vibration, which will make for a much smoother ride for the astronauts who will ride inside Orion in the future. The work marked the final major assembly steps for the spacecraft before it is transported to Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in November.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch in December 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket, and in 20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A, technicians ensure the payload bay door closes properly around the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo and the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier inside space shuttle Discovery's payload bay. Discovery will deliver 33,000 pounds of equipment to the station, including science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch is targeted for late August.

In the Space Station Processing Facility, an overhead crane moves into place over the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, and its pallet. The crane will lift the SSRMS and move it to the payload canister. The arm is 57.7 feet (17.6 meters) long when fully extended and has seven motorized joints. It is capable of handling large payloads and assisting with docking the Space Shuttle. The SSRMS is self-relocatable with a Latching End Effector, so it can be attached to complementary ports spread throughout the Stations exterior surfaces. The SSRMS is part of the payload on mission STS-100, scheduled to launch April 19 at 2:41 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A, KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the upper transportation canister is lifted away from the Dawn spacecraft. After removal of the canister, Dawn will be mated with the waiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. EDT Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Da

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians attach the third of four Ogive panels on Orion's Launch Abort System. The panels will smooth the airflow over the conical spacecraft to limit sound and vibration, which will make for a much smoother ride for the astronauts who will ride inside Orion in the future. The work marked the final major assembly steps for the spacecraft before it is transported to Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in November. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch in December 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket, and in 2018 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In high bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, the orbiter Discovery is being lowered toward the external tank and solid rocket boosters installed on the mobile launcher platform. The orbiter will be stacked with the tank and SRBs for launch. Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39B no earlier than Nov. 7 for mission STS-116. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Viewed from the aft portion of the space shuttle Atlantis, technicians prepare to install replica shuttle main engine RSME number 2 on the shuttle orbiter in Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Three RSMEs were installed on Atlantis. The replicas were built in the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engine shop at KSC to replace the space shuttle main engines SSMEs which will be placed in storage to support NASA's Space Launch System currently under development. The RSME installation is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18, 2012 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex during November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians attach an ogive panel on the Orion ground test vehicle in Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 4. The ogive panels enclose the Orion spacecraft and attach to the Launch Abort System. The test vehicle is being used by the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program for path finding operations, including simulated manufacturing, assembly and stacking procedures.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of Orion is scheduled to launch in 2014 atop a Delta IV rocket and in 2017 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister is ready to be opened in the Payload Changeout Room at the pad. Inside is the S1 Integrated Truss Structure, primary payload on mission STS-112 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. The first starboard truss segment, the S1 will be attached to the Central truss segment, the S0 Truss, on the International Space Station during the mission. Atlantis is scheduled to launch no earlier than Oct. 2.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, the body flap is moved into position for installation on the orbiter Discovery. The body flap is an aluminum structure consisting of ribs, spars, skin panels and a trailing edge assembly. It thermally shields the three main engines during entry and provides pitch control trim during landing approach. Discovery is being processed for launch on the first Return to Flight mission, STS-114.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A solid rocket motor is firmly secured inside its delivery truck prior to offload at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The motor will be attached to the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket slated to launch NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, spacecraft in July 2014.OCO-2 will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze this data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important atmospheric gas.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are disconnecting and dismantling components on shuttle Endeavour. Seen here is the view from inside the spacecraft's airlock looking toward the payload bay.The work is part of Endeavour's transition and retirement processing. The spacecraft is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122,883,151 miles over the course of its 19-year career. Endeavour's STS-134 and final mission was completed after landing on June 1, 2011.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, workers check the fittings around space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay doors after closing. Endeavour is targeted to launch March 11 at 2:28 a.m. EDT on the 16-day STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. Endeavour and its crew will deliver the ELM-PS and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The U.S. Lab Destiny, one of the key elements of the International Space Station, is lifted from the Launch Package Integration Stand (LPIS) in the Space Station Processing Facility where it underwent a weight and center of gravity determination. It is being moved to the payload canister for transfer to Space Shuttle Atlantis. Destiny is the primary payload of STS-98, scheduled for launch no earlier than Jan. 19, 2001.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Japanese Experiment ModulePressurized Module is in place in space shuttle Discovery's payload bay as the payload bay doors begin to close. The launch of Discovery on its STS-124 mission is targeted for May 31. On the mission, Discovery will transport the pressurized module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, the second of two Materials International Space Station Experiments, or MISSE, is lowered into space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay for installation. The MISSE is part of the payload onboard Endeavour for mission STS-123. The MISSE project is a NASA/Langley Research Center-managed cooperative endeavor to fly materials and other types of space exposure experiments on the International Space Station. The objective is to develop early, low-cost, non-intrusive opportunities to conduct critical space exposure tests of space materials and components planned for use on future spacecraft.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Members of the STS-109 crew are lowered into the payload bay of orbiter Columbia to check out some of the equipment. The crew is at KSC to take part in Crew Equipment Interface Test activities that include familiarization with the orbiter and equipment. The goal of the mission is to service the HST, replacing Solar Array 2 with Solar Array 3, replacing the Power Control Unit, removing the Faint Object Camera and installing the Advanced Camera for Surveys, installing the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Cooling System, and installing New Outer Blanket Layer insulation on bays 5 through 8. Mission STS-109 is scheduled for launch Feb. 14, 2002

GRAIL Move from Astrotech to Pad 17B

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the clamshell doors of space shuttle Discovery's payload bay are closed completely in preparation for the its move to the Vehicle Assembly Building next month. There, it will be attached to its external fuel tank and a set of solid rocket boosters for launch on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.Targeted to launch Nov. 1, STS-133 will carry the multipurpose logistics module, or PMM, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, or R2, to the station. Discovery will leave the module behind so it can be used for microgravity experiments in fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the payload changeout room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Mission Specialist Piers Sellers looks closely at payload elements installed on the integrated cargo carrier. He is dressed in a clean room suit, appropriate for the environmentally clean or "white room" condition in which the payload resides before being transferred to the shuttle's payload bay. At lower right is the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, which is carrying supplies and equipment for the International Space Station. The payload also includes the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier. Crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include equipment familiarization and a simulated launch countdown. Mission STS-121 is scheduled for launch on Space Shuttle Discovery on July 1.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In bay 3 of NASA Kennedy Space Centers Orbiter Processing Facility, the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello is lifted out of Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay and loaded into a transportation canister. The module holds material returned to KSC from the International Space Station on Return to Flight mission STS-114. The module will be transferred to the Space Station Processing Facility to be emptied. Discovery will fly next on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121.

In the Space Station Processing Facility, an overhead crane lifts the pallet holding the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to move it to the payload canister. The arm is 57.7 feet (17.6 meters) long when fully extended and has seven motorized joints. It is capable of handling large payloads and assisting with docking the Space Shuttle. The SSRMS is self-relocatable with a Latching End Effector, so it can be attached to complementary ports spread throughout the Stations exterior surfaces. The SSRMS is part of the payload on mission STS-100, scheduled to launch April 19 at 2 41 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A, KSC

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building OandC at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Orion spacecraft for its first uncrewed mission, Exploration Flight Test-1 EFT-1 in 2014. The Orion is seen in its test stand preparing for a Static Loads test. Launched atop NASA's heavy-lift Space Launch System rocket, Orion is now targeted to take astronauts in a sample return mission to an asteroid as early as 2021. On the third anniversary of President Barack Obama issuing his challenge to NASA to send astronauts to an asteroid, news media representatives were given an opportunity to see up-close the Orion spacecraft which could take astronauts on such a flight. They also heard from key leaders of that effort in Kennedy's OandC where Orion's assembly is taking place.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians lower NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft into place atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket on Space Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The lunar probes are attached to a spacecraft adapter ring in their side-by-side launch configuration and wrapped in plastic to prevent contamination outside the clean room.The spacecraft will fly in tandem orbits around the moon for several months to measure its gravity field. GRAIL's primary science objectives are to determine the structure of the lunar interior, from crust to core, and to advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon. Launch is scheduled for Sept. 8.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2) at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module is secured in the payload canister, after a special payload removal device was used to remove it from Atlantis cargo bay. Raffaello will then be readied for transport to the Space Station Processing Facility where its contents will be unloaded. Atlantis completed NASAs final space shuttle mission, STS-135, after landing at the centers Shuttle Landing Facility, July 21, 2011, at 5:57 a.m. EDT. Following removal of all payloads in Atlantis cargo bay, workers will begin to prepare the spacecraft for eventual permanent display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

A close-in view of the mating skirt for the AVALON (DSRV-2) Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle located at the Deep Submergence Unit on the North Island Naval Base. Base: San Diego State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians monitor the progress as a special crane lifts one of the three fuel cells away from space shuttle Atlantis payload bay.The fuel cells will be drained of all fluids. The hydrogen and oxygen dewars which feed reactants to the fuel cells remain in Atlantis mid-body and will be purged with inert gases and vented down. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Atlantis. The orbiter is being prepared for display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare space shuttle Atlantis for removal of the top emergency escape window.The window is being removed in order to gain access to remove hazardous pyrotechnics from the shuttle. The window will be shipped to Johnson Space Center in Houston for inspections and a replacement outer pane will be installed in its place. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Atlantis. The shuttle is being prepared for display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Orbiter Processing Facility lean toward the body flap to be installed on the orbiter Discovery. The body flap is an aluminum structure consisting of ribs, spars, skin panels and a trailing edge assembly. It thermally shields the three main engines during entry and provides pitch control trim during landing approach. Discovery is being processed for launch on the first Return to Flight mission, STS-114.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Ares I-X aft booster segment with the aft skirt is lowered onto the mobile launch platform in High Bay 3. This is the start of the buildup of the Ares I-X launch vehicle for the flight test targeted for no earlier than Aug. 30. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is the essential core of a space transportation system that eventually will carry crewed missions back to the moon, on to Mars and out into the solar system.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Vehicle Assembly Building, the STS-120 solid rocket booster left aft booster and left aft center segments are being stacked on the mobile launcher platform. STS-120 will be the 23rd flight to the International Space Station. Space Shuttle Discovery will carry the U.S. Node 2. Launch is targeted for Oct. 20. NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, an air-lit strap-on solid rocket booster is lifted up for mating onto the Delta 2 launch vehicle that will carry the Kepler spacecraft into orbit. The Kepler mission is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5, 2009.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers in the Payload Changeout Room, Launch Pad 39A, are on a platform in the forward cargo bay area of Space Shuttle Endeavour to search for an oxygen leak. The launch of Endeavour on mission STS-113 was postponed Nov. 10, following the completion of tanking operations, due to higher than allowable oxygen levels in the orbiter's midbody. Workers will investigate the exact location and possible cause of the leak, and effect repairs. Launch has been tentatively set for no earlier than Nov. 18, between 7 and 11 p.m. EST.

STS-133 MPLM RACK REMOVAL AND CONVERSION TO PERMANENT MODULE

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the forward reaction control system has been reinstalled on space shuttle Atlantis. The system helped the shuttle maneuver while it was in orbit. Atlantis FRCS was removed and sent to White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to be cleaned of its toxic propellants. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex in November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

Discovery on pad and payload bay doors open to show satellite payloads. SEE 108-KSC-85-PC-156 SEE 108-KSC-85-PC-157 KSC, FL

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers guide external fuel tank, ET-138, for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission, as it is lowered into high bay-1 between the twin solid rocket boosters on the mobile launcher platform. Shuttle Atlantis' move, or "rollover," from Orbiter Processing Facility-1 to the VAB is targeted for May 10. Once there it will be mated with the external tank and boosters. Atlantis and its crew of four will deliver the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. STS-135 is targeted to launch June 28, and will be the last spaceflight for the Space Shuttle Program.

An Orion weight and center of gravity test with the Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) crew module takes place at the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building at Kennedy Space Center on June 8, 2014. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Under the supervision of Boeing technicians, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), a payload slated to fly on STS-91, is undergoing a final weight and balance check on the Launch Package Integration Stand in the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF). Next, it will be placed in the Payload Canister and transported to Launch Complex 39A where it will be installed into Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay. Weighing in at approximately three tons, the AMS is a major particle physics experiment that will look for cosmic antimatter originating from outside our galaxy. The data it gathers could also give clues about the mysterious "dark matter" that may make up 90 percent or more of the universe. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will also feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, and the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International S

KODIAK ISLAND, Alaska -- Castor 120, the first stage of the Athena 1 launch vehicle, is lowered into place at Kodiak Island, Alaska, as preparations to launch Kodiak Star proceed. The first orbital launch to take place from Alaska's Kodiak Launch Complex, Kodiak Star is scheduled to lift off on a Lockheed Martin Athena I launch vehicle on Sept. 17 during a two-hour window that extends from 5 00 to 7 00 p.m. ADT. The payloads aboard include the Starshine 3, sponsored by NASA, and the PICOSat, PCSat and Sapphire, sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, the overhead crane above the U.S. Lab Destiny is ready to be removed. Destiny rests in the Launch Package Integration Stand (LPIS) for a weight and center of gravity determination. In the foreground is the scale. Destiny is the payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-98 to the Space Station. The lab is fitted with five system racks and will already have experiments installed inside for the flight. The launch is scheduled for January 2001

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With the payload successfully installed inside, the payload bay doors on Space Shuttle Discovery are closing. Seen here are the SPACEHAB module on top and the P5 truss below. Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 is scheduled no earlier than Dec. 7.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Work platforms surround the Ares I-X launch vehicle in the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 4 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket has undergone a sway test that simulated conditions the rocket could experience during rollout to Launch Pad 39B, wind conditions at the pad and first-stage ignition. During the test, vibrations are mechanically induced into the rocket by four hydraulic shakers and a sway is manually introduced for lateral motion to measure the vehicle's response. A total of 44 accelerometers are installed on the flight test vehicle that required more than 27,000 feet of cable. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is the essential core of a space transportation system that eventually will carry crewed missions back to the moon, on to Mars and out into the solar system . The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 31.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a bridge crane attached to the Orion ground test vehicle has lifted it away from the heat shield and lowered it onto a platform. The ground test vehicle is being prepared for its move to Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., for a water test. The test vehicle is being used by the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program for path finding operations, including simulated manufacturing, assembly and stacking procedures. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of Orion is scheduled to launch in 2014 atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket and in 2017 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, an overhead crane moves the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section, or ELM-PS, of the Japanese Experiment Module, called Kibo, across the facility toward a payload canister for eventual transfer to Launch Pad 39A. The ELM-PS is the primary payload for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-123 mission, which is targeted for launch to the International Space Station on March 11.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Inside the mobile service tower at NASA's Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers prepare the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft for fairing installation. Aquarius will be integrated to a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket in preparation for the targeted June 9 liftoff. Aquarius, the NASA-built instrument on the SAC-D spacecraft, will provide new insights into how variations in ocean surface salinity relate to fundamental climate processes on its three-year mission.

A heavy-lift crane lifts the first half of the C-level work platforms, C south, for NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, high up from the transfer aisle floor of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The C platform will be installed on the south side of High Bay 3. The C platforms are the eighth of 10 levels of work platforms that will surround and provide access to the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for Exploration Mission 1. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to VAB High Bay 3, including installation of the new work platforms, to prepare for NASAs Journey to Mars.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- This is a closeup of one of the Rudder Speed Brake Actuators that are being removed from the orbiter Atlantis for shipment to the vendor for inspection. An actuator is a motor that moves the tail rudder back and forth to help steer it during landing and brake its speed. The vertical tail consists of a structural fin surface made of aluminum, the Rudder Speed Brake surface, a tip and a lower trailing edge. The rudder splits into two halves to serve as a speed brake. The vertical tail and Rudder Speed Brake are covered with a reusable thermal protection system. Atlantis is undergoing maintenance and inspection in the Orbiter Processing Facility for a future mission.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3, the Ares I-X rocket is being assembled on the mobile launcher platform. Super Stack 4 has just been mated to Super Stack 3 on top. Five super stacks make up the upper stage that will be integrated with the four-segment solid rocket booster first stage on the mobile launch platform. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 31, pending formal NASA Headquarters approval.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, construction crews remove 16,000 square feet of plastic shrink-wrap from the space shuttle Atlantis. The spacecraft was enclosed in the plastic shrink-wrap since November of last year to protect the artifact from dust and debris during construction of the 90,000-square-foot facility. Last November, the space shuttle Atlantis made its historic final journey to its new home, traveling 10 miles from the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to the spaceport's visitor complex. The new $100 million 'Space Shuttle Atlantis' facility will include interactive exhibits that tell the story of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program and highlights the future of space exploration. The 'Space Shuttle Atlantis' exhibit scheduled to open June 29, 2013.

The Orion boilerplate test vehicle is secured in the well deck of the USS San Diego at the U.S. Naval Base San Diego in California on Feb. 20, 2014. Orion was transported about 100 miles offshore for an underway recovery test. NASA and the U.S. Navy conducted tests to prepare for recovery of the Orion crew module, forward bay cover and parachutes on its return from a deep space mission. The underway recovery tests allow the teams to demonstrate and evaluate the recovery processes, procedures, hardware and personnel in open waters. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, construction crews are removing 16,000 square feet of plastic shrink-wrap from the space shuttle Atlantis. The spacecraft was enclosed in the plastic shrink-wrap since November of last year to protect the artifact from dust and debris during construction of the 90,000-square-foot facility.Last November, the space shuttle Atlantis made its historic final journey to its new home, traveling 10 miles from the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to the spaceport's visitor complex. The new $100 million "Space Shuttle Atlantis" facility will include interactive exhibits that tell the story of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program and highlights the future of space exploration. The "Space Shuttle Atlantis" exhibit scheduled to open June 29, 2013.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In high bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, a crane is ready to lift the orbiter Discovery away from the External Tank (ET) and Solid Rocket Boosters. The orbiter will be remated with another tank, ET-121. Discovery then 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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