(NASA) – Technicians at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida continue processing space shuttle Atlantis for its upcoming move from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building.
The shuttle is targeted to be joined to its external fuel tank and a pair of solid rocket boosters the week of Aug. 17. Launch is targeted for Oct. 5.
Image above: A worker uses a blacklight to closely inspect the surface of the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph that will be installed in the Hubble Space Telescope during the STS-125 mission. The instrument and other equipment are being prepared at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
The shuttle was powered down leading to rollover to the VAB and workers closed the hatch for the last time before Atlantis is moved to the launch pad.
The astronauts of Atlantis’ STS-125 mission to upgrade NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope will be off this weekend. Next week, they’ll practice spacewalking techniques in a large swimming pool at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The external tank slated for space shuttle Endeavour’s STS-126 mission in November, is making its way by barge from NASA’s manufacturing plant in New Orleans to Kennedy. It is expected to arrive at Kennedy on Monday depending on travel conditions.
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