KSC-2009-3059

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 Commander Scott Altman is helped by the closeout crew putting on his harness, which includes a parachute pack, before crawling through the open hatch into space shuttle Atlantis. The White Room is at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure and provides access into the shuttle. Atlantis' 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments that will expand Hubble's capabilities and extend its operational lifespan through at least 2014. The payload includes a Wide Field Camera 3, fine guidance sensor and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. Launch of Atlantis on the STS-125 mission is scheduled for 2:01 p.m. May 11 EDT. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph-Kevin O'Connell