CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After sunset, lights glow on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as space shuttle Atlantis awaits delivery of the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) in More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Space Shuttle Main Engine Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a transportation canister is nearly closed around a Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne space shuttle More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Processing for mission STS-107 continues in the Operations and Checkout Building as the tunnel that will connect Space Shuttle Columbia's crew compartment to the SPACEHAB module is More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the airlock of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center prepare to remove the Cosmic Origins Spectrograp More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Technicians release a crane from an engine-handling device and the Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne space shuttle main engine, or SSME, that it rotated into a horizontal position inside the S More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Preparations are under way for the crane to release an engine-handling device used to rotate a Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne space shuttle main engine, or SSME, into a horizontal position More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A crane moves the engine-handling device away from the Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne space shuttle main engine, or SSME, that it rotated into a horizontal position inside the SSME Processi More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Station, workers remove the transportation canister around Deep Space 1 after installation on a Boeing Delta 7326 rocket . Targeted for laun More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-106 payload within the SPACEHAB Module is shown after being loaded onto Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B using the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The PGHM (pronounced More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Technicians facilitate the transfer the STS-106 payload to Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B using the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The circular structure shown is the docki More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Technicians facilitate the transfer the STS-106 payload to Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B using the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The payload within the SPACEHAB module is More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Technicians facilitate the transfer the STS-106 payload to Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B using the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The payload within the SPACEHAB module is More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During the transfer the STS-106 payload to Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B, a technician turns a switch to move the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The mechanism is located i More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During the transfer the STS-106 payload to Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B, a technician turns a switch to move the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The mechanism is located i More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-106 payload within the SPACEHAB Module is shown after being loaded onto Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B using the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The PGHM (pronounced More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Technicians facilitate the transfer the STS-106 payload to Atlantis on Launch Pad 39-B using the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism (PGHM). The circular structure shown is the docki More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers secure a transportation canister around the Genesis spacecraft in preparation for its move to the pad. Genesis is 7.5 feet (2.3 More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers help guide a transportation canister over the Genesis spacecraft in preparation for its move to the pad. Genesis is 7.5 feet (2 More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Processing for mission STS-107 continues in the Operations and Checkout Building as the tunnel that will connect Space Shuttle Columbia's crew compartment to the SPACEHAB module is More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Processing for mission STS-107 continues in the Operations and Checkout Building as the tunnel that will connect Space Shuttle Columbia's crew compartment to the SPACEHAB module is More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in NASA Spacecraft Hangar AE remove sections of the transportation canister from around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), which has been returned to the hangar More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in NASA Spacecraft Hangar AE remove a portion of a transportation canister from around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), which has been returned to the hangar More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in NASA Spacecraft Hangar AE (background) remove sections of the transportation canister from around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), which has been returned More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in NASA Spacecraft Hangar AE prepare to begin further processing of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), which has been returned to the hangar from the launch pad More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in NASA Spacecraft Hangar AE remove sections of the transportation canister from around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), which has been returned to the hangar More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Delta II rocket’s third stage rolls into the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility. It will be mated with the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2) and then installed into the transp More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Delta II rocket’s third stage waits in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility for mating with the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2). They will then be installed into the trans More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Delta II rocket’s third stage arrives at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility. It will be mated with the Mars Exploration Rover 2 (MER-2) and then installed into the trans More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing workers at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., secure the first part of a transportation canister around the Delta II upper stage booster on the MESSENGER (Mercur More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., place a protective cover around the MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) spacecraft at More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing workers at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., secure the first part of a transportation canister around the Delta II upper stage booster on the MESSENGER (Mercur More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., begin placing a protective cover around the MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geoch More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. get ready to “bag” the MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) s More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - After bagging the MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) spacecraft, Boeing workers at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., place the fi More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing workers at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., check the second part of a transportation canister placed around the Delta II upper stage booster on the MESSENGER More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, Boeing workers garbed in clean room suits move the protective cover of the transportation canister away from the More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, Boeing workers garbed in clean room suits move the protective cover of the transportation canister away from t More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, Boeing workers garbed in clean room suits move the protective cover of the transportation canister away from t More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, an overhead crane carries the Columbus module away from its transportation canister. Columbus is the E More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, an overhead crane is lowered onto the Columbus module to lift it out of its transportation canister. C More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Columbus module waits to be lifted out of its transportation canister. An overhead crane is being More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the upper portion of the transportation canister is lowered over the STEREO spacecraft (in front). When the entire configuration More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers help guide the upper portion of the transportation canister onto the lower portion. The canister encases the STEREO spac More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers check the fitting of the upper portion of the transportation canister onto the lower portion. The canister encases the S More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers maneuver the upper portion of the transportation canister that will be lowered over the STEREO spacecraft (in front). Wh More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the upper portion of the transportation canister is lowered over the STEREO spacecraft (in front). When the entire configuration More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker examines the STEREO spacecraft as the upper portion of the transportation canister is lowered over the top. When the ent More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers begin to install the lower portion of the transportation canister around the upper stage booster attached to the STEREO s More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers check the progress of the upper portion of the transportation canister as it is lowered over the STEREO spacecraft. When More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the transportation canister and protective cover have been removed from the STEREO spacecraft More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers help guide the upper segement of the transportation canister away from the STEREO spa More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers observe the lifting of the upper segment of the transportation canister that encloses More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers begin removing the lower segment of the transportation canister that encloses the STE More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the transportation canister and protective cover have been removed from the STEREO spacecraft More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations, technicians help lower the THEMIS spacecraft onto the Delta II upper stage booster. Once mated, the spacecraft will then be installed into its tran More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations, the THEMIS spacecraft (background) is being lifted to move it to the Delta II upper stage booster (foreground) for mating. The spacecraft will the More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations, technicians help lower the THEMIS spacecraft the last few inches onto the Delta II upper stage booster. Once mated, the spacecraft will then be ins More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations, technicians lower the THEMIS spacecraft onto the Delta II upper stage booster. Once mated, the spacecraft will then be installed into its transport More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations, technicians help lower the THEMIS spacecraft toward the Delta II upper stage booster. Once mated, the spacecraft will then be installed into its tr More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations, technicians help guide the overhead crane carrying the THEMIS spacecraft toward the Delta II upper stage booster at right. Once mated, the spacecr More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A worker in the high bay at Astrotech Space Operations places a lower panel of the transportation canister around the THEMIS spacecraft and upper stage booster. When THEMIS is c More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With all lower panels of the transportation canister in place around the THEMIS spacecraft and upper stage booster, workers at left prepare to move the overhead crane above them More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers move the platform with the Dawn spacecraft. They are preparing to install the transportation canister around Dawn for tr More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers ensure the upper transportation canister is securely attached to the lower segments. The canister will protect the space More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers guide the upper transportation canister toward the Dawn spacecraft in the background. The canister will be lowered onto More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers place the lower segments of the transportation canister around the upper stage booster beneath the Dawn spacecraft. The More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers watch as the upper transportation canister is lowered over the Dawn spacecraft. The canister will be attached to the bot More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers guide the upper transportation canister as it is lowered onto the Dawn spacecraft. The canister will be attached to the More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers ensure the upper transportation canister is securely attached to the lower segments. The transportation canister will pr More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers place another segment of the transportation canister around the upper stage booster beneath the Dawn spacecraft. The cani More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers remove the transportation canister from around the Dawn spacecraft. After removal of More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers remove the lower segments of the transportation canister away from the Dawn spacecraf More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the upper transportation canister is lifted away from the Dawn spacecraft. After removal of t More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the high bay of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Orbital Replacement Unit Carrier for the Hubble Space Telescope is lifted from its transpor More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the high bay of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center begin to lift the Flight Support System for the More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the high bay of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Flight Support System for the Hubble Space Telescope is lifted from its transportation cani More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the high bay of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Flight Support System for the Hubble Space Telescope is lifted from its transportation cani More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the high bay of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center prepare to lift the Flight Support System for t More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the high bay of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Orbital Replacement Unit Carrier for the Hubble Space Telescope is lifted from its transpor More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the high bay of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Flight Support System for the Hubble Space Telescope is lifted from its transportation cani More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the airlock of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center prepare to lift the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center receive the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, or COS, secured in its transportation canister, in the airlock of More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the airlock of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center lift the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, or COS, fr More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the airlock of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center open the transportation canister in which the Co More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the airlock of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center remove the top from the transportation canister More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the airlock of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center examine the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, or COS, More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the payload changeout room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a closeup shows two of the four carriers inside the payload canister that will be tran More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the payload changeout room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the payload ground-handling mechanism, or PGHM, moves toward the cargo in the payload More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the payload changeout room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare for the transfer of the cargo inside the payload canister, at left. T More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the open doors of the payload canister reveal its cargo -- four carriers holding various equipment for the STS-125 mission ab More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the payload changeout room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers make small adjustments to the payload ground-handling mechanism, or PGHM, tha More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the payload changeout room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers stand on part of the payload ground-handling mechanism, or PGHM. The PGHM wil More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the payload changeout room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare the payload ground-handling mechanism, or PGHM, that will transfer th More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the payload changeout room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers make small adjustments to the payload ground-handling mechanism, or PGHM, tha More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Workers in the Payload Changeout Room, or PCR, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida study the cargo in the payload canister. The cargo comprises four carriers hol More
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In Bldg. 1610 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft is waiting for a transportation canister to be placed around it. NOAA-N Prime is the More
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In Bldg. 1610 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a transportation canister is being placed around the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-o More
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In Bldg. 1610 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft is encased inside a transportation canister. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting More
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In Bldg. 1610 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers place another lower segment of a transportation canister around the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft. NOAA-N Prime More