Space shuttle Atlantis was transported to NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Kennedy Wednesday morning -- the first step toward the launch pad.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said Atlantis was moved from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the VAB where it will be lifted into a vertical position for mating with its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters that are already in place on the mobile launcher platform.
The flight of Atlantis to the International Space Station on mission STS-117 is scheduled to begin March 15.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Related stories:
External Tank, Solid Rocket Boosters, Readied for Next Shuttle Launch
External tank ET-127 and the twin solid rocket boosters, which will fly with space shuttle Atlantis on the next shuttle mission, were joined Aug. 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The next processing milestone will be the attachment of the external tank and boosters to Atlantis, scheduled Aug. 18. STS-125, the fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Center on Oct. 8 at 12:34 a.m. CDT.
Space Shuttle External Tank ET-128 Sets New Performance Standard During STS-124 Mission
When NASA's space shuttle Discovery launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., May 31, it was lifted from the launch pad with the help of a "new" external fuel tank, ET-128, which featured design changes made to improve performance and flight safety.
NASA sets date for final shuttle mission in 2010
Following a detailed, integrated assessment, NASA selected target launch dates for the remaining eight space shuttle missions on the current manifest in 2009 and 2010.
Shuttle Discovery Glides Home After Successful Mission
With Commander Mark Kelly and Pilot Ken Ham at the controls, space shuttle Discovery descended to a smooth landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The STS-124 crew concluded their successful assembly mission to the International Space Station when the shuttle landed at 11:15 a.m. EDT.
NASA Updates Space Shuttle Target Launch Dates
NASA Thursday adjusted the target launch dates for two space shuttle missions in 2008. Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is now targeted for Oct. 8, and Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station has moved from Oct. 16 to Nov. 10.
Astronauts to talk with selected students
The U.S. space agency says some U.S. students will be talking this week with the astronauts who will service the Hubble Space Telescope.
Microscopic 'astronauts' to go back in orbit
When space shuttle Endeavor blasts off on March 11, some tiny ‘astronauts’ will piggyback onboard an experimental payload from Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute.
Atlantis Returns Home After Successful Mission
Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew landed at 9:07 a.m. EST Wednesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., after completing a 13-day journey of nearly 5.3 million miles in space. The STS-122 mission expanded the size and research capabilities of the International Space Station with the delivery of the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory.