NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis To Move To Launch Pad Saturday
Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) Aug 27, 2008 Space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, Aug. 30. Atlantis is targeted to lift off Oct. 8 to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. The first motion of the shuttle out of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. EDT. The fully assembled space shuttle, consisting of the orbiter, external tank and twin solid rocket boosters, was mounted on a mobile launcher platform and will be delivered to the pad atop a crawler-transporter. The crawler will travel slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The process is expected to take approximately six hours. Repairs to Launch Pad 39A's flame trench wall were completed Aug. 5 after crews installed a steel grid structure and covered it in a heat-resistant material. The pad's north flame trench was damaged when bricks tore away from the wall during the May 31 launch of space shuttle Discovery. NASA Television will provide live coverage of Atlantis' move to the launch pad beginning at 6:30 a.m. Video highlights of the rollout will air on NASA TV Video File. Media are invited to a photo opportunity of roll out and an interview availability with Atlantis Flow Director Angie Brewer at 8 a.m. Saturday. Dates and times of this event are subject to change. Updates are available by calling 321-867-2525. Reporters must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 6 a.m. Saturday for transportation to the viewing area. Foreign news media accreditation for this event has closed. Foreign media with credentials must arrive at the Pass and I-D Building on State Road 3 by 6 a.m. for transportation to the news center. U.S. media without permanent Kennedy Space Center credentials must apply for accreditation online by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27 Badges must be picked up by 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at the new Kennedy Badging Office on State Road 405, west of Gate 3 (just past the Kennedy Visitor's Complex). During its 11-day mission that includes five spacewalks, the STS-125's crew of seven astronauts will install two new instruments in Hubble, as well as replace the Fine Guidance Sensor. The result will be six working, complementary science instruments with capabilities beyond those now available, and an extended operational lifespan of the telescope through at least 2013. Atlantis will be commanded by Scott Altman. Gregory C. Johnson will be pilot. Mission Specialists will be John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, Megan McArthur, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good. Related Links Accreditation NASA TV downlink information STS-125 mission Shuttle at NASA Watch NASA TV via Space.TV Space Shuttle News at Space-Travel.Com
Kennedy Space Center reopening delayed Cape Canaveral, Fla. (UPI) Aug 21, 2008 The U.S. space agency's planned partial reopening of the Kennedy Space Center was delayed Thursday because of slow-moving Tropical Storm Fay. |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement |