KSC-99pp1469

An eager STS-103 crew emerge from behind the "Astrovan" at the Operations and Checkout Building to board the vehicle for transfer to Launch Pad 39B. Walking in pairs (from front to back) are Pilot Scott J. Kelly and Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Mission Specialists John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.) and Jean-Francois Clervoy of France, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.) and Claude Nicollier of Switzerland, and Steven L. Smith taking up the rear. A previous launch attempt on Dec. 17 was scrubbed about 8:52 p.m. due to numerous violations of weather launch commit criteria at KSC. The mission, to service the Hubble Space Telescope, is now scheduled for launch Dec. 19 at 7:50 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39B. Mission objectives include replacing gyroscopes and an old computer, installing another solid state recorder, and replacing damaged insulation in the telescope. After the 7-day, 21-hour mission, Discovery is expected to land at KSC Monday, Dec. 27, at about 5:24 p.m. EST