CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Thursday, Sept. 18, in preparation for shuttle Atlantis’ mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Endeavour will stand by in the unlikely event a rescue mission is necessary following Atlantis’ launch, which is targeted for Oct. 10.
After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue vehicle, it will move to Launch Pad 39A for the upcoming STS-126 mission to the International Space Station. That flight is targeted for launch Nov. 12.
On Thursday, Endeavour rolled over from Kennedy’s Orbiter Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building. There, Endeavour will be attached to its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters to prepare for its move to the pad.
The first motion of the shuttle toward the launch pad Sept. 18 is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. EDT. The fully assembled space shuttle, consisting of the orbiter, external tank and twin solid rocket boosters, will be delivered to the pad atop a crawler-transporter. The crawler will travel slower than 1 mph during the 4.2-mile journey. The process is expected to take approximately seven hours.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of Endeavour’s rollout to the launch pad beginning at 6:30 a.m. Sept. 18. Video highlights of the rollout will air on the NASA TV Video File.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle’s move to the pad and interview availability with Endeavour Vehicle Manager Shelley Ford at 8 a.m. Thursday. Because dates and times of this event are subject to change, updates are available by calling 321-867-2525.
Media must arrive at Kennedy’s news center by 6 a.m. Thursday for transportation to the viewing area. Foreign media with credentials must arrive at the Pass and ID Building on State Road 3 by 6 a.m. for transportation to the news center. The accreditation deadline for this event has passed for members of foreign news media. U.S. reporters without permanent Kennedy Space Center credentials must apply for accreditation online by 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, at:
Badges must be picked up by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the new Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405, west of Gate 3 (just past the Kennedy Visitor’s Complex).
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:
