KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crawler transporter, with its cargo of Space Shuttle Discovery and mobile launcher platform, leaves tracks on the crawlerway as it makes its way up Launch Pad 39B. Behind the Shuttle can be seen part of the rotating service structure and the 82-foot lightning mast (next to the solid rocket booster) on top of the fixed service structure. The two structures are used during prelaunch preparations at the pad. Earlier in the week, the Shuttle was rolled back to the VAB from the pad to repair hail damage on the external tank's foam insulation. Mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program, is scheduled for liftoff May 27 at 6:48 a.m. EDT. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment KSC-99pp0566

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – After dark, space shuttle Atlantis, atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, rolls into place under the mate/demate device on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The hoist seen above Atlantis will lift the shuttle from the SCA and place it on the ground. Atlantis returned from California atop the SCA after its May 24 landing at Edwards Air Force Base, concluding mission STS-125. The ferry flight from Edwards Air Force Base began June 1. Atlantis' next assignment is the STS-129 mission, targeted to launch in November 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-3438

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour stands ready for launch after rollback of the Rotating Service Structure on Launch Pad 39B. Seen are the twin solid rocket boosters flanking the orange external tank. Stretching to the crew hatch on the side is the Orbiter Access Arm with its environmentally controlled White Room at the end. Below Endeavour is the Mobile Launcher Platform with the two service tail masts on either side of the main engines. The tail masts support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft T-0 umbilicals. Each tail mast is 31 feet (9.4 meters) high, 15 feet (4.6 meters) long and 9 feet (3.1 meters) wide. Endeavour is scheduled to launch on mission STS-108 Nov. 29 at 7:41 p.m. On this 12th flight to the International Space Station, known as a Utilization Flight, Endeavour will carry a crew of four plus the Expedition 4 crew, who will replace Expedition 3 aboard the ISS. The payload includes the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, filled with supplies, equipment and experiments KSC01PD1744

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour begins rolling off Launch Pad 39B for the 3.4-mile rollaround to Launch Pad 39A. First motion was at 8:28 a.m. EDT. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14 on the STS-126 mission. On this 27th mission to the International Space Station, Endeavour will carry the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, spare hardware and equipment for the regenerative life support system. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-08pd3354

STS-131 - EOM - Public domain NASA photogrpaph

STS-131 Discovery Lift & Mate to SRB/ET Stack 2010-1894

Space Shuttle Discovery: STS-119 Approach OPS

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crawler transporter, with its cargo of Space Shuttle Discovery and mobile launcher platform, leaves tracks on the crawlerway as it makes its way up Launch Pad 39B. Behind the Shuttle can be seen part of the rotating service structure and the 82-foot lightning mast (next to the solid rocket booster) on top of the fixed service structure. The two structures are used during prelaunch preparations at the pad. Earlier in the week, the Shuttle was rolled back to the VAB from the pad to repair hail damage on the external tank's foam insulation. Mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program, is scheduled for liftoff May 27 at 6:48 a.m. EDT. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment KSC-99pp0566

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crawler transporter, with its cargo of Space Shuttle Discovery and mobile launcher platform, leaves tracks on the crawlerway as it makes its way up Launch Pad 39B. Behind the Shuttle can be seen part of the rotating service structure and the 82-foot lightning mast (next to the solid rocket booster) on top of the fixed service structure. The two structures are used during prelaunch preparations at the pad. Earlier in the week, the Shuttle was rolled back to the VAB from the pad to repair hail damage on the external tank's foam insulation. Mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program, is scheduled for liftoff May 27 at 6:48 a.m. EDT. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

Space Shuttle Program

The Space Shuttle program was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011, administered by NASA and officially beginning in 1972. The Space Shuttle system—composed of an orbiter launched with two reusable solid rocket boosters and a disposable external fuel tank— carried up to eight astronauts and up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and lands as a glider. Although the concept had been explored since the late 1960s, the program formally commenced in 1972 and was the focus of NASA's manned operations after the final Apollo and Skylab flights in the mid-1970s. It started with the launch of the first shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, on STS-1. and finished with its last mission, STS-135 flown by Atlantis, in July 2011.