Atlantis set for Monday lift-off

Space Shuttle Atlantis is good to go for its launch next week to the Hubble Space Telescope - the final servicing trip to the orbiting 'scope. According to NASA, preparations for the STS-125 mission, aka "Servicing Mission 4", continue at the Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A ahead of the scheduled blast-off on Monday at …

[Anonymous Coward]

It's also worth mentioning

that another shuttle (possibly Endeavour) will be on standby on pad 39B in case a rescue mission is necessary for the Atlantis crew.

This provides a rare photo opportunity - two shuttles on the launch pads at once.

[jeffrey]

It's also worth mentioning

Shame that it;s the last time that will be happening as well. For all the people saying shuttles are rubbish, they don't go very high, can't do very much, cost too much, I personally like them, they are actually quite graceful. If I win the euromillions tonight (unlikely) then I would be tempted to buy one of the old ones and bung it in the national space museum.

[Ross Fleming]

Worth mentioning, but needs seeing!

Why on earth have you not included a pic like this????

http://gizmodo.com/5052814/historic-photo-shows-atlantis-and-endeavour-together-for-the-last-time

Awesome sight.

[Test Man]

Re: Worth mentioning, but needs seeing!

And again, but back in 1990 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/S90-48650.jpg

[zedee]

Is there no end to the cheese?

That crew photo is unbelievably gorgonzola-esque.

I mean - the background, the fixed ecstatic grins, the lip slugs!

[Secretgeek]

Regarding the crew photo.

I'm not entirely convinced all this technological hoo-ha to reach Hubble is even necessary, I mean look at that photo, you could reach it with a decent step ladder surely?

Alright, alright, I'm getting it.