KSC-2009-2892

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– In space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, STS-125 crew members take a final close look at the hardware for the Hubble servicing mission before the targeted May 11 launch. Atlantis' 11-day mission will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments. The payload bay holds four carriers of equipment that include the Wide Field Camera 3, Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, the Soft Capture Mechanism and replacement gyroscopes and batteries. As a result, Hubble's capabilities will be expanded and its operational lifespan extended through at least 2014. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett