Hubble-bound shuttle arrives at Florida launch pad (May 12 Atlantis launch to service the Hubble)

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 3/31/09 | Irene Klotz

[NormsRevenge]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) – The space shuttle that will carry NASA's last crew to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope was moved to its Florida launch pad on Tuesday in preparation for liftoff on May 12.

Shuttle Atlantis and its crew of seven astronauts were due to launch six months ago, but the failure of a computer aboard Hubble prompted NASA to delay the flight.

Replacing the computer, which prepares data from Hubble's science instruments to be relayed back to Earth, was added to the long list of chores the astronauts will tackle during five days of spacewalks.

Hubble, which has been using a backup computer to format its science data, has been operating well, but is only expected to last another couple of years without another servicing call by shuttle astronauts. Astronomers view Hubble as an important source of scientific data about the universe.

Riding atop a slow-moving Apollo-era transporter, Atlantis emerged from the Kennedy Space Center's assembly building at around 4 a.m. EDT to begin the 3.5-mile trek to the seaside shuttle launch complex. The ride took more than six hours.

In three weeks, Atlantis will be joined by shuttle Endeavour on a nearby launch pad that is being refurbished for use by the Orion spaceships set to replace the shuttles.

[NormsRevenge]

from an earlier trip..

The space shuttle Atlantis makes the the three-mile trip from the vehicle assembly building to launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in this September 4, 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Scott Audette/Files

[SlowBoat407]

With the latest repairs, the Hubble should be able to see almost to the far reaches of Obama’s ego.

[papasmurf]

The computer had a problem?





Must've been a Windows box... BTW, that's a beautiful picture of the shuttle, thanks, it's in my collection now. LOL

[NormsRevenge]

They were all set to go last year and the computer took a dump. Talk about Timing, huh?

[texas booster]

Will be in Florida over Memorial Day. Would be great to see a shuttle launch. May weather could delay it just a bit?

[shorty_harris]

Here's a picture I took of the Hubble headring being loaded onto NASA 940, at Ames Research Center in about 1987.

[Leo Farnsworth]

Go Guppy!

GREAT photo!

[Conan the Librarian]

We'll be at Disney World that week. I hope to see it go up from there.

Pictures! I have one from 1984. I was on site, about 4 miles away shooting film through a 6" Criterion Telescope.

[Trueblackman]

Hard to believe that thing is still flying somewhere/

[Vinnie]

I remember seeing the Pregnant Guppy at Opa-Locka airfield, NW Miami.