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National Aeronautics and Space Administration John F. Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 FOR RELEASE: 05/10/2009 PHOTO NO: KSC-2009-3027 |
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| No copyright protection is asserted for this photograph. If a recognizable person appears in this photograph, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA employees of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that might mislead. Accordingly, it is requested that if this photograph is used in advertising and other commercial promotion, layout and copy be submitted to NASA prior to release. | |
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PHOTO CREDIT:
NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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| CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Night falls on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following rollback of the pad’s rotating service structure, or RSS, from around space shuttle Atlantis. The RSS is retracted in preparation for Atlantis’ liftoff on the STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. 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. Atlantis' crew will service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope for the fifth and final time. 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. Launch is scheduled for 2:01 p.m. EDT on May 11. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis | |
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