
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – With a full moon silhouetted in the night sky, the rotating service structure is ready to be rolled from around space shuttle Endeavour into park position on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rollback is in preparation for Endeavour's liftoff on the STS-126 mission with a crew of seven. The rotating structure provides protected access to the shuttle for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots on 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 cryogenic propellant loading operations. The STS-126 mission will be the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and work that will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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NASA ID
KSC-08pd3668
Date Created
November 13, 2008
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
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