A report from NASA's Kennedy Space Center by Astronomy Contributing Editor Martin Ratcliffe:
The astronauts of the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope are now on board Atlantis. They left the astronaut building shortly after 10:15 a.m. EDT to cheers and waves from the press and staff. Astronomy magazine is here recording launch day.
Commander Scott Altman was first out and waved, flanked by Mission Specialist Drew Feustel. Normally shuttle crews climb aboard the Astrovan right away, but this time they paused, drawing a great cheer to the gathered photographers. The crew posed in recognition of the historical final mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. An IMAX camera is recording the event for a planned movie, Hubble 3D, due for release in early 2010.
The Astrovan drove out to the pad, pausing at the Launch Control Center so that senior management could disembark. On arrival at Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the astronauts rode the elevator to the White Room, 195 feet up. They'll have a great view of the Florida coastline and the second Space Shuttle, Endeavour, waiting on Pad 39B for the unlikely risk of a rescue mission.
The weather looks great at Kennedy Space Center. Only one Transatlantic Abort site — near Moron, Spain — is available for this launch due to the lower inclination of the planned orbit (28° instead of the typical 51° launch to ISS), so weather has to be perfect in Spain, as well. Currently slight showers in Spain are expected to clear by launch time, 2:01 p.m. EDT.
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"STS-125 launches," by Martin Ratcliffe, Contributing Editor
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