NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis Readies for Hubble Repair Mission

The seven astronauts who will attempt the complicated job were up before dawn, eager to get started after waiting seven months to fly. Their flight was delayed last fall, two weeks before the scheduled launch, after the orbiting telescope failed.

Near perfect weather was forecast for the afternoon liftoff. NASA also was keeping an eye on the weather at the emergency landing strip in Spain, where there was a slight chance of rain.

As the sun rose in a clear sky, NASA finished loading Atlantis' big external fuel tank. No serious problems were being tracked, and the Hubble scientists and managers were euphoric to finally be so close to liftoff.

The 11-day shuttle mission aims to provide the fifth and last maintenance operation to the Hubble before the shuttle fleet is retired, and if successful Nasa has said the mission would extend the star-gazer’s life by at least five years.

The Hubble’s servicing will entail five space walks, each lasting up to seven hours. Crew members plan to replace the telescope’s six gyroscopes and batteries and upgrade its optical instruments.