KSC-2009-2779

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the payload canister with the Hubble Space Telescope equipment travels in the dark as it heads for Launch Pad 39A, at left. On the pad, the Hubble equipment will be transferred to space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay. Atlantis' 11-day STS-125 mission to service Hubble is targeted for launch May 12. The flight will include five spacewalks in which astronauts will refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments. As a result, Hubble's capabilities will be expanded and its operational lifespan extended through at least 2014. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett