Space Shuttle Launch Preparations

Images depict space shuttles on launch pads at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, showcasing the excitement of pre-launch activities with clear skies and intricate launch structures.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Endeavour, atop the mobile launcher platform, is hard down on Launch Pad 39A after rolling out over night. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:10 p.m. July 10. The components of the shuttle are, first, the orbiter and then the solid rocket boosters flanking the external tank behind it. Attached to the platform and seen below the orbiter's wings are the tail masts, which provide several umbilical connections to the orbiter, including a liquid-oxygen line through one and a liquid-hydrogen line through another. Near the cockpit of Endeavour is the orbiter access arm, which provides access into the vehicle. Endeavour is scheduled to launch on mission STS-118 on Aug. 7. During the mission, Endeavour will carry into orbit the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. The mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and will mark the first flight of Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, th

The United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket for Exploration Flight Test-1 is being lifted to the vertical position at the pad at Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta IV Heavy is being readied to launch Orion on its first flight test. During its first flight test, Orion will travel farther into space than any human spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The data gathered during the flight will influence design decisions, validate existing computer models and innovative new approaches to space systems development, as well as reduce overall mission risks and costs for later Orion flights. Liftoff of Orion on the first flight test is planned for December 2014.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- As Space Shuttle Atlantis inches its way to Launch Pad 39A for the second time, it passes the Launch Control Center (right). An attempt to roll out on Jan. 2 incurred a failed computer processor on the crawler transporter and the Shuttle was returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building using a secondary computer processor on the vehicle. Atlantis will fly on mission STS-98, the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying the U.S. Laboratory, named Destiny. The lab will have five system racks already installed inside the module. After delivery of electronics in the lab, electrically powered attitude control for Control Moment Gyroscopes will be activated. Atlantis is scheduled for launch no earlier than Jan. 19, 2001, with a crew of five

The space shuttle Discovery is poised for liftoff on the STS-128 mission from pad 39a at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. Discovery is scheduled to launch early Tuesday morning.

A close-up view of the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 30, 2022. The SLS and Orion were transported to the pad on crawler-transporter 2 for a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. In later missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 39B the payload canister, with the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo inside, is lifted up the Rotating Service Structure to the payload changeout room. Umbilical hoses, maintaining a controlled environment for the cargo, are still attached to the lower end of the canister. From the PCR Leonardo will be transferred into Space Shuttle Discoverys payload bay. One of Italys major contributions to the International Space Station program, 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 the primary payload on mission STS-102 and will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. STS-102 is scheduled to launch March 8 at 6:45 a.m. EST

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure (RSS) is moved away from space shuttle Endeavour in preparation for the shuttle's upcoming launch. Retraction of the structure, which provides weather protection and access to the shuttle, began at 11:44 a.m. EDT and was completed at 12:24 p.m. RSS "rollback" is a significant milestone in Endeavour's STS-134 mission countdown. Liftoff is scheduled for May 16 at 8:56 a.m. EDT. Endeavour and its crew will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery is visible on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida before the rotating service structure, which protects it from the elements, is moved into place. It took the spacecraft about six hours to make the journey, known as "rollout," from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad. Rollout sets the stage for Discovery's STS-133 crew to practice countdown and launch procedures during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test in mid-October. Targeted to liftoff Nov. 1, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Flags are flying at the entrance to Launch Pad 39A, where Space Shuttle Atlantis has come to a stop. At left are the rotating and fixed service structures; at right is the 300-gallon water tower. The shuttle has spent six hours rolling out to Pad 39A, leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building at 8:19 a.m. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour, atop the mobile launcher platform, comes to rest on Launch Pad 39A after rolling around from launch Pad 39B. The shuttle moved off Launch Pad 39B starting at 8:28 am. EDT and completed its move to Launch Pad 39A at 4:37 p.m. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14 on the STS-126 mission. On this 27th mission to the International Space Station, Endeavour will carry the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, spare hardware and equipment for the regenerative life support system.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers perform a walk down of space shuttle Endeavour following severe storms over Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The frontal system moved through Central Florida producing strong winds, heavy rain, frequent lightning and even funnel clouds. During detailed inspections, technicians and engineers found only minor damage to Endeavour's external fuel tank foam insulation and evaluations indicate there was no damage to the spacecraft.Endeavour and its six-member STS-134 crew are targeted to launch April 29 at 3:47 p.m. EDT. They will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the International Space Station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29 at 8:33 a.m. ET.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Towering atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler transporter, Space Shuttle Discovery makes its trek along the stretch of crawlerway between the Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Pad 39B. Once at the pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the STS-103 launch targeted for Dec. 6, 1999, at 2:37 a.m. EST. The mission is a "call-up" due to the need to replace portions of the pointing system the gyros which have begun to fail on the Hubble Space Telescope. Although Hubble is operating normally and conducting its scientific observations, only three of its six gyroscopes are working properly. The gyroscopes allow the telescope to point at stars, galaxies and planets. The STS-103 crew will also be installing a Fine Guidance Sensor, a new enhanced computer, a solid-state digital recorder, and a new spare transmitter to replace older equipment, and replacing degraded insulation on the telescope with new

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour, on its mobile launcher platform, is transferred to Launch Pad 39A for mission STS-99. Named the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), it involves an international project spearheaded by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and NASA, with participation of the German Aerospace Center DLR. The SRTM consists of a specially modified radar system that will gather data for the most accurate and complete topographic map of the Earth's surface that has ever been assembled

Encapsulated inside its payload fairing, the Cygnus spacecraft for the upcoming Orbital ATK Commercial Resupply Services-6 is lifted to be mated atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in the Vertical Integration Facility at Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Cygnus is scheduled to lift off atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on March 22 to deliver hardware and supplies to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 39B the payload canister, with the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo inside, is lifted up the Rotating Service Structure to the payload changeout room. Umbilical hoses, maintaining a controlled environment for the cargo, are still attached to the lower end of the canister. From the PCR Leonardo will be transferred into Space Shuttle Discoverys payload bay. One of Italys major contributions to the International Space Station program, 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 the primary payload on mission STS-102 and will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. STS-102 is scheduled to launch March 8 at 6 45 a.m. EST

In this view looking up, NASAs crawler-transporter 2 can be seen bearing the weight of the agencys Artemis I Moon rocket and mobile launcher as it carries the duo to Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39B in Florida on June 6, 2022. The rocket rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building in the early morning hours to travel the 4.2 miles to the launch pad for NASAs next wet dress rehearsal attempt ahead of the Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex series of missions, Artemis I will test the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and using the Moon as a steppingstone before venturing to Mars.

STS-130 LAUNCH L-1 RSS ROLLBACK - WIDE OPEN

The Artemis I vehicle, with the Orion spacecraft atop, rolls for wet dress rehearsal from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center on March 17, 2022. At the pad, the vehicle will undergo checkouts and teams will practice countdown to ensure the stack is ready for launch.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Discovery shines on Launch Pad 39B after rollback of the Rotating Service Structure. Situated above the external tank is the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm with the beanie cap, a vent hood. Extended out from the Fixed Service Structure (left) to the orbiter is the orbiter access arm with an environmentally controlled chamber, known as the White Room, at the end of the arm. The White Room provides entrance for the astronaut crew into the orbiter. On either side of the tail and main engines are the tail service masts. Rising 31 feet above the Mobile Launcher Platform, the tail masts provide umbilical connections for liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen lines to fuel the external tank from storage tanks adjacent to the launch pad. Discovery carries the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment. Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks fi

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On a cloudy and overcast day on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers monitor the progress of the rotating service structure (RSS) as it rolls away from space shuttle Atlantis. The RSS provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits liftoff. RSS "rollback" marks a major milestone in Atlantis' STS-135 mission countdown.Atlantis and its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pu

With access doors at Space Launch Complex 37 opened, the Orion and Delta IV Heavy stack is visible in its entirety inside the Mobile Service Tower where the vehicle is undergoing launch preparations. Orion will make its first flight test on Dec. 4 with a morning launch atop the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy. The spacecraft will orbit the Earth twice, including one loop that will reach 3,600 miles above Earth. No one will be aboard Orion for this flight test, but the spacecraft is being designed and built to carry astronauts to deep space destinations such as an asteroid.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers monitor the progress of space shuttle Endeavour as it makes its final approach toward the fixed and rotating service structures on Launch Pad 39A. First motion of the 3.4-mile rollaround from Launch Pad 39B was at 3:16 a.m. EDT. Endeavour was on standby on Pad 39B to be used in the unlikely event that a rescue mission was necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The payload on Endeavour's next mission, STS-127, includes the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section of the International Space Station. They will be installed on the Kibo laboratory already on the station. Launch of STS-127 is targeted for June 13.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Excitement builds at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in anticipation of space shuttle Discovery's upcoming liftoff from Launch Pad 39A. Go Discovery_ Discovery's first motion on its 3.4-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11 58 p.m. EST March 2. The shuttle was secured on the pad at 6 48 a.m. March 3. Rollout is a significant milestone in launch processing activities. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with resupply stowage platforms and racks, to the International Space Station aboard Discovery. Targeted for launch on April 5, STS-131 will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Reflected in the nearby pool of water, Space Shuttle Atlantis arrives on the hard stand on Launch Pad 39B, propelled by the crawler-transporter. At right is the 290-foot high, 300,000-gallon water tank that aids in sound suppression during launch. The water releases just prior to the ignition of the shuttle engines and flows through 7-foot-diameter pipes for about 20 seconds, pouring into 16 nozzles atop the flame deflectors and from outlets in the main engines exhaust hole in the mobile launcher platform. Atop the fixed service structure is the 80-foot lightning mast that helps provide lightning protection. The slow speed of the crawler results in a 6- to 8-hour trek to the pad approximately 4 miles away. Atlantis' launch window begins Aug. 27 for an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. The STS-115 crew of six astronauts will continue construction of the station and install their cargo, the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the early morning light, photographers maneuver for the best position to capture Space Shuttle Atlantis as it rolls toward Launch Pad 39B. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was 1:05 a.m. The shuttle sits on top of the mobile launcher platform, which in turn rests on the crawler-transporter. The slow speed of the crawler results in a 6-hour trek to the pad approximately 4 miles away. Atlantis' launch window begins Aug. 27 for an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. The STS-115 crew of six astronauts will continue construction of the station and install their cargo, the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A fish-eye view curves the fixed service structure toward Space Shuttle Atlantis as it leaps off Launch Pad 39B, propelled by columns of fire from the solid rocket boosters. At the lower left is the White Room that, when extended against Atlantis, gave the mission crew access to the orbiter. Atlantis is heading for a rendezvous with the International Space Station on mission STS-115. Liftoff was on-time at 11:14:55 a.m. EDT. After several launch attempts were scrubbed due to weather and technical concerns, this launch was executed perfectly. Mission STS-115 is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the

Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) Orion stacked on the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle at United Launch Alliance Launch Complex 37B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 24, 2014. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis rumbles the Space Coast as it lifts off its seaside launch pad. Liftoff from NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A occurred right on time at 2:20 p.m. EDT on May 14. The Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 known as Rassvet, or "dawn," is inside the shuttle's cargo bay. It will provide additional storage space and a new docking port for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft. The laboratory will be attached to the bottom port of the station's Zarya module. The mission's three spacewalks will focus on storing spare components outside the station, including six batteries, a communications antenna and parts for the Canadian Dextre robotic arm. STS-132 is the 132nd shuttle flight, the 32nd for Atlantis and the 34th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Space shuttle Discovery, atop the mobile launcher platform, makes the slow 3.4-mile journey via the broad, two-track crawlerway to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (at right) was at 5:17 a.m. EST. Discovery is targeted to launch to the International Space Station Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the starboard side of the station, completing the station's backbone, or truss, enabling a six-person crew to live there starting in May.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida media snap photos of space shuttle Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A after the payload canister carrying the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) was lifted into the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure.Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are targeted to lift off on space shuttle Atlantis July 8, taking with them the MPLM packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space 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 to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour arrives at Launch Pad 39A in the dim early morning light, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler transporter, after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The flag identifying the Shuttle (at right) waves slightly from the wind. At left are the Fixed Service Structure and Rotating Service Structure. While at the pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the STS-88 launch targeted for Dec. 3, 1998. Mission STS-88 is the first U.S. flight for the assembly of the International Space Station and will carry the Unity connecting module. While on orbit, the flight crew will deploy Unity from the payload bay and connect it to the Russian-built Zarya control module which will be in orbit at that time. Unity will be the main connecting point for later U.S. station modules and components. More than 40 launches are planned over five years involving the resources and expertise of 1

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour is reflected in standing water near the crawlerway on its trek to Launch Pad 39A. First motion of the 3.4-mile rollaround from Launch Pad 39B was at 3:16 a.m. EDT. Endeavour was on standby on Pad 39B to be used in the unlikely event that a rescue mission was necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The payload on Endeavour's next mission, STS-127, includes the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section of the International Space Station. They will be installed on the Kibo laboratory already on the station. Launch of STS-127 is targeted for June 13.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Endeavour soars to orbit from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Endeavour began its final flight, the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station, at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16. Endeavour and its six-member crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Discovery makes its way along the crawlerway from high bay 3 to Launch Pad 39B as the sun rises. First motion for the 4-mile, 6-hour journey was at 1 58 a.m. EDT. The Space Shuttle rests on a Mobile Launcher Platform which sits atop a Crawler-Transporter. This is the second rollout of Discovery after being returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building for connection to an improved External Tank. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission STS-114 is targeted for a launch window extending from July 13 to July 31. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-person crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The engines' glare beneath space shuttle Atlantis heralds liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Atlantis began its final flight, the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, at 11:29 a.m. EDT July 8.STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the orbiting laboratory. Atlantis also is flying the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, a failed ammonia pump module will be returned to Earth aboard Atlantis to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 is the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Discovery sits on Launch Pad 39B after its approximately 5-hour rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. At center left can be seen the White Room, the environmentally controlled chamber that provides entry into the orbiter for the astronaut crews. The chamber is at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm, which has not been extended yet. At the bottom of Discoverys left wing is the tail service mast, one of two belonging to the Mobile Launcher Platform on which the Shuttle rests. The tail service mast is 31 feet high, 15 feet long and 9 feet wide. A second TSM is on the other side. They support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiters liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft T-0 umbilicals. Discovery will be flying on mission STS-102 to the International Space Station. Its payload is the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, a moving van, to carry laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies to and from the

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Discovery and its five-man crew is launched from pad 39B at 11 37 a.m. as STS-26 embarks on a four-day mission, marking America's return to space. On the first day of orbit, the crew will deploy from the orbiter's payload bay the primary payload, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-C). The Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) will boost the satellite to a geosynchronous altitude from low-Earth orbit. When in place, TDRS-C will relay data from low-Earth orbiting spacecraft, and air-to-ground voice communications and television from Space Shuttle orbiters during missions. The crew members of STS-26 are Commander Rick Hauck, Pilot Richard Covey, and Mission Specialists Dave Hilmers, Mike Lounge, and George 'Pinky' Nelson.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As Space Shuttle Atlantis begins its crawl back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, work continues on the Fixed Service Structure at Launch Pad 39A. Atlantis return to the VAB was determined by Shuttle managers so that inspections, continuity checks and X-ray analysis can be conducted on the 36 solid rocket booster cables located inside each boosters system tunnel. An extensive evaluation of NASAs SRB cable inventory revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables on the shelf. The launch has been rescheduled no earlier than Feb. 6

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 (open door) atop a Mobile Launcher Platform and begins rolling to Launch Pad 39A via a crawler-transporter. The combined height of the Shuttle, MLP and transporter is 235.2 ft. Once at the pad, routine launch pad validations will commence, verifying all vehicle and facility interfaces. Endeavour is expected to lift off on mission STS-100 on April 19, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 (open door) atop a Mobile Launcher Platform and begins rolling to Launch Pad 39A via a crawler-transporter. The combined height of the Shuttle, MLP and transporter is 235.2 ft. Once at the pad, routine launch pad validations will commence, verifying all vehicle and facility interfaces. Endeavour is expected to lift off on mission STS-100 on April 19, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket for Exploration Flight Test-1 is lifted to the vertical position in the mobile service tower on the pad at Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta IV Heavy is being readied to launch Orion on its first flight test. During its first flight test, Orion will travel farther into space than any human spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The data gathered during the flight will influence design decisions, validate existing computer models and innovative new approaches to space systems development, as well as reduce overall mission risks and costs for later Orion flights. Liftoff of Orion on the first flight test is planned for December 2014.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Sitting atop the mobile launcher platform, Space Shuttle Atlantis wends its way to Launch Pad 39B. The Shuttle is targeted for launch no earlier than July 12 on mission STS-104, the 10th flight to the International Space Station. The payload on the 11-day mission is the Joint Airlock Module, which will allow astronauts and cosmonauts in residence on the Station to perform future spacewalks without the presence of a Space Shuttle. The module, which comprises a crew lock and an equipment lock, will be connected to the starboard (right) side of Node 1 Unity. Atlantis will also carry oxygen and nitrogen storage tanks, vital to operation of the Joint Airlock, on a Spacelab Logistics Double Pallet in the payload bay. The tanks, to be installed on the perimeter of the Joint Module during the missions spacewalks, will support future spacewalk operations and experiments plus augment the resupply system for the Stations Service Module

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for Sept. 3 at 2:17 p.m. EDT.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' external fuel tank-solid rocket booster stack, atop a mobile launcher platform, presents an unusual sight - without the shuttle - as it is transferred from high bay 1 to high bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It is being moved to high bay 3 to make room for the ET-SRB stack for space shuttle Endeavour. Atlantis is targeted for launch on the STS-125 mission on May 12 to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Endeavour will fly on the STS-127 mission to the International Space Station and bring the final segments for Japan's Kibo laboratory.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' engines and solid rocket boosters ignite on Launch Pad 39A as it begins to lift off on its STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.Atlantis with its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, lifted off at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2011 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 is the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

With the Rotating Service Structure rolled back, at left, the Space Shuttle Atlantis undergoes final prelaunch preparations at Launch Pad 39A for the STS-86 mission. One of the final steps will be to load the external tank with approximately 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for fueling the orbiters three main engines. STS-86 is slated to be the seventh docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. Liftoff is targeted for Sept. 25 at 10:34 p.m. EDT during a preferred launch window which lasts six minutes and 45 seconds. Seven crew members will lift off for the scheduled 10-day flight. One of those crew members, David A. Wolf, will transfer to the Mir for an approximate four-month stay. He will replace U.S. astronaut C. Michael Foale, who will return to Earth with the remainder of the STS86 crew. Foale has been on the Russian space station since mid-May

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29 at 8:33 a.m. ET.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are under way to close the pad's rotating service structure around space shuttle Atlantis. This mobile structure provides protected access to the shuttle for installation and servicing of payloads at the pad, as well as servicing access to certain systems on the shuttle. Atlantis' first motion on its 3.4-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11 31 p.m. EDT April 21. The shuttle was secured, or 'hard down,' on the pad at 6 03 a.m. April 22. Rollout is a significant milestone in launch processing activities. On the STS-132 mission, the six-member crew will deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier, or ICC, and the Russian-built Mini-Research Module-1, or MRM-1, to the International Space Station. The ICC is an unpressurized flat bed pallet and keel yoke assembly used to support the transfer of exterior cargo from the shuttle to the space station. The MRM-1, known as Rassvet, is the se

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 (open door) atop a Mobile Launcher Platform and begins rolling to Launch Pad 39A via a crawler-transporter. The combined height of the Shuttle, MLP and transporter is 235.2 ft. (71.6 m). Once at the pad, routine launch pad validations will commence, verifying all vehicle and facility interfaces. Endeavour is expected to lift off on mission STS-100 on April 19, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on mission STS-118, water pours over the mobile launcher platform below for sound suppression. The 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station, the mission will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, and other payloads such as the SPACEHAB module and the external stowage platform 3. Liftoff of Endeavour was on time at 6:36 p.m. EDT.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour greets a very significant day for the youngest orbiter of the fleet as its Rotational Service Structure is rolled back on its scheduled day of launch. STS-89, slated for a 9:48 p.m. EST liftoff Jan. 22, is the eighth docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Endeavour (all previous dockings were made by Atlantis), and the first launch of 1998. After docking with Mir, Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will transfer to the space station, succeeding David Wolf, M.D., who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour. Dr. Thomas will live and work on Mir until June

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis inches its way out the doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building as it begins rolling out to Launch Pad 39A for the second time. An attempt to roll out on Jan. 2 incurred a failed computer processor on the crawler transporter and the Shuttle was returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building using a secondary computer processor on the vehicle. Atlantis will fly on mission STS-98, the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying the U.S. Laboratory, named Destiny. The lab will have five system racks already installed inside the module. After delivery of electronics in the lab, electrically powered attitude control for Control Moment Gyroscopes will be activated. Atlantis is scheduled for launch no earlier than Jan. 19, 2001, with a crew of five

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the move of the rotating service structure (RSS). The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits liftoff on the pad. RSS "rollback" marks a major milestone in Atlantis' STS-135 mission countdown.Atlantis and its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems.

A view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Orbiter OV-101 Enterprise on the launch tower as it would appear prior to launch. The Enterprise is not equipped to be launched but is being used as a model at the newly constructed space shuttle launch facilities. Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Artemis I Prelaunch. NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen illuminated by spotlights atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for Nov. 14 at 12:07 a.m. EST.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis, on its Mobile Launcher Platform, rolls out to Launch Pad 39A for the second time. An attempt to roll out on Jan. 2 incurred a failed computer processor on the first crawler transporter. The Shuttle was returned to the VAB using a secondary computer processor on the vehicle. Atlantis will fly on mission STS-98, the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying the U.S. Laboratory, named Destiny. The lab module will have five system racks already installed inside. After delivery of electronics in the lab, electrically powered attitude control for Control Moment Gyroscopes will be activated. Atlantis is scheduled for launch no earlier than Jan. 19, 2001, with a crew of five

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building, clouds filter the morning sun as space shuttle Atlantis rolls out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle sits atop the mobile launcher platform, which is carried by the crawler-transporter beneath. First motion was at 3:54 a.m. EDT and Atlantis was secured on the pad at 11:17 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip took about seven-and-a-half hours. Atlantis is targeted to lift off May 12 to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. During Atlantis' 11-day mission, the crew of seven astronauts will make the final shuttle flight to Hubble. During five spacewalks, they will install two new instruments, repair two inactive ones and replace components. The result will be six working, complementary science instruments with capabilities beyond what is now available, and an extended operational lifespan for the telescope through at least 2014.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 Dragon Arrival. The Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft for NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission arrives at SpaceXs hangar at Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39A in Florida on Feb. 19, 2023. The capsule arrived at the launch complex after making the short journey from its nearby processing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, commander; Warren “Woody” Hoburg, pilot; and mission specialists astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev wil lift off aboard Endeavour - on the companys Falcon 9 rocket - from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. Liftoff is targeted for no earlier than 2:07 a.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 26.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Payload Mission Manager Joe Delai speaks to media after the payload canister carrying the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) was delivered to the pad for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission, and lifted into the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure. Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are targeted to lift off on space shuttle Atlantis July 8, taking with them the MPLM packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space 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 to the space station, and the 135th

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Flags wave near Launch Pad 39A where space shuttle Endeavour waits for liftoff. The rotating service structure was rolled back starting at 8:23 a.m. and complete at 8:55 a.m. Above the orange external tank is seen the "beanie cap" at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, extending from the fixed service structure. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Below is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end, flush against the shuttle. The crew gains access into the orbiter through the White Room. The rotating structure provides protected access to the orbiter for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. The structure is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots about a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogeni

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Sunlight bathes Space Shuttle Atlantis and oak Leaves frame the image as the shuttle moves slowly toward Launch Pad 39A. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:19 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip to the pad along the crawlerway will take about 6 hours. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After an early morning rollout, Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the Mobile Launcher Platform, passes by the American flag as it moves through the gate at the launch pad. After being stacked with its solid rocket boosters and external tank, Atlantis began its rollout to Launch Pad 39B at 2:27 a.m. EDT in preparation for launch to the International Space Station. The Shuttle arrived at the Pad and was hard down at 9:38 a.m. Launch is scheduled no earlier than Oct. 2 for mission STS-112, the 15th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Atlantis will carry the S1 Integrated Truss Structure, which will be attached to the central truss segment, the S0 truss, during the mission.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29 at 8:33 a.m. ET.

Preliminary reports indicate the Space Shuttle's first super lightweight external tank (SLWT) is in excellent condition following the completion of a tanking test yesterday during a simulated launch countdown at Launch Pad 39A. The pad's Rotating Service Structure will be closed around Discovery later today as preparations for the STS-91 launch on June 2 continue. The primary objectives of the test were to evaluate the strut loads between the tank and the solid rocket boosters and to verify the integrity of the new components of the tank. The SLWT is 7,500 pounds lighter than its predecessors and was developed to increase the Shuttle payload capacity on International Space Station assembly flights. Major changes to the lighter tank include the use of new materials and a revised internal design. The new liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks are constructed of aluminum lithium a lighter, stronger material than the metal alloy currently used. The redesigned walls of the liquid hydrogen

STS135-S-100 (8 July 2011) --- Smoke and steam begin to billow outward as space shuttle Atlantis' main engines are ignited for liftoff at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as it begins its STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 11:29 a.m. (EDT) on July 8, 2011. Onboard are NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, commander; Doug Hurley, pilot; Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, both mission specialists. STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the space station. Atlantis also carries the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with 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 to the space station, and the 135th and

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Flags wave near Launch Pad 39A where space shuttle Endeavour waits for liftoff. The rotating service structure was rolled back starting at 8:23 a.m. and complete at 8:55 a.m. Above the orange external tank is seen the "beanie cap" at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, extending from the fixed service structure. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Below is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end, flush against the shuttle. The crew gains access into the orbiter through the White Room. The rotating structure provides protected access to the orbiter for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. The structure is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots about a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogeni

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The U.S. flag and orbiter's flag wave in the foreground after Space Shuttle Endeavour's rollout to Launch Pad 39A from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Shuttle comprises the orbiter, in front, and the taller orange external tank behind it flanked by twin solid rocket boosters. Mission STS-111 is designated UF-2, the 14th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Endeavour's payload includes the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo and Mobile Base System. The mission also will swap resident crews on the Station, carrying the Expedition 5 crew and returning to Earth Expedition 4. Liftoff of Endeavour is scheduled between 4 and 8 p.m. May 30, 2002

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The STS-135 crew members stand for a photograph after a question-and-answer session with media at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A in Florida. From left are Mission Specialists Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus; Pilot Doug Hurley and Commander Chris Ferguson. Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts are at Kennedy to participate in a launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training.Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space 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 to the sp

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A camera at the pad catches this closeup view of Space Shuttle Endeavour just after liftoff, which occurred at 5:22:49 p.m. EDT. The Shuttle and crew are bound for the International Space Station on mission STS-111, a utilization flight. This mission marks the 14th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the third Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-111 is the 18th flight of Endeavour and the 110th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Pelicans and seagulls witness the slow rollout of Space Shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39A. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:19 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip to the pad along the crawlerway will take about 6 hours. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On its slow 4.2-mile journey via the crawlerway to Launch Pad 39B, Space Shuttle Discovery passes the turn basin. In the foreground on the south side of the basin is the flag near the NASA News Center. The shuttle rests on a mobile launcher platform that sits atop a crawler-transporter. First motion in NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building was at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The rollout is an important step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. Discovery's launch is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, media representatives interview members of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 crew. From left are Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Mission Specialists Mike Foreman and Leland Melvin; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; and Mission Specialists Robert L. Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik.The crew members of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission are at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Launch of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 16.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery is visible on Launch Pad 39A and a sign supporting the vehicle hangs on the pad perimeter gate. Later, the rotating service structure that protects the shuttle from the elements will be moved into place. It took the spacecraft about six hours to make the journey, known as "rollout," from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad. Rollout sets the stage for Discovery's STS-133 crew to practice countdown and launch procedures during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test in mid-October. Targeted to liftoff Nov. 1, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The STS-127 crew members stand for a final photograph after a question-and-answer session with the media at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. From left are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Julie Payette, Tom Marshburn , Tim Kopra, Christopher Cassidy and Dave Wolf. Payette represents the Canadian Space Agency. The crew is at Kennedy for a launch dress rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, which includes emergency egress training and equipment familiarization. Space shuttle Endeavour's STS-127 mission is the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japanese Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. Endeavour's launch is targeted for June 13.

Perched on the Mobile Launch Platform, in the early morning hours Space Shuttle Discovery approaches Launch Complex Pad 39B after a 6-hour, 4.2-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the launch pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the launch, scheduled to lift off Oct. 29. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - After rollback of the Rotating Service Structure on NASA Kennedy Space Centers Launch Pad 39B, photographers gather at the fence to capture Space Shuttle Discovery revealed in full launch configuration. Discovery is scheduled to lift off on the historic Return to Flight mission STS-114 at 10 39 a.m. EDT July 26 with a crew of seven. On the mission to the International Space Station the crew will perform inspections on orbit for the first time of all of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels on the leading edge of the wings and the Thermal Protection System tiles using the new Canadian-built Orbiter Boom Sensor System and the data from 176 impact and temperature sensors. Mission Specialists will also practice repair techniques on RCC and tile samples during a spacewalk in the payload bay. During two additional spacewalks, the crew will install the External Stowage Platform-2, equipped with spare part assemblies, and a replacement Control Moment Gyroscope

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis makes its last reach for the sky, rising above Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Atlantis, with its crew of Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, lifted off at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2011 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 is the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- An early morning shot of the Space Shuttle Discovery on the Mobile Launcher Platform and Launch Pad 39A. Discovery is being readied for the STS-92 mission launch to the International Space Station (ISS). At the top is the 13-foot-wide beanie cap,” at the end of the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm, designed to vent gaseous oxygen vapors away from the Space Shuttle. Lower is the Orbiter Access Arm with the environmental chamber, known as the white room,” extended to the orbiter. The chamber provides entry for the crew into the orbiter and also serves as emergency egress up to 7 minutes 24 seconds before launch. The STS-92 mission payload includes Integrated Truss Structure Z-1, an early exterior framework to allow the first U.S. solar arrays on a future flight to be temporarily installed on Unity for early power; Ku-band communication to support early science capability and U.S. television; and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter to provide a Shuttle docking por

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Palmettos appear to frame space shuttle Endeavour as it rolls toward Launch Pad 39A on NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle earlier moved off Launch Pad 39B starting at 8:28 am. EDT and headed for pad 39A. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14 on the STS-126 mission. On this 27th mission to the International Space Station, Endeavour will carry the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, spare hardware and equipment for the regenerative life support system.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Viewed across the turn basin from the Press mound, Space Shuttle Endeavour inches its way to Launch Pad 39B (on the horizon) via the crawlerway that leads from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Shuttle is on the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) which is atop the crawler-transporter, moving on four double-tracked crawlers. The maximum speed of the loaded transporter is 1 mph. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A full scale external tank and twin solid rocket booster replicas will stand at the Atlantis exhibit entrance at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, preparing to launch guests deep into the 30-year history of the Space Shuttle Program. A groundbreaking ceremony for the future home of Atlantis was held Jan. 18.

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