Hubble 3D: Deep Space Page #3

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...up inside the telescope,

in the bowels of the science instruments.

We gotta be really careful around them.

And I'm a big goon

and I've gotta get inside of there.

So this is the problem, how to get me

inside of this really cramped place.

He's gotta work in there,

but he has to be perfectly still.

And he can only work with one hand...

...right there amongst

the fixed-head star trackers.

They don't like to be bumped.

And, you know...

...you knock them off their axes

and they're useless.

Then the whole telescope's useless.

Mike Massimino...

...otherwise known as Mass,

has serviced Hubble once before.

- Got it.

- Fun today?

John Grunsfeld, on the left,

is an astrophysicist and mountaineer.

He's had more visits to Hubble

than anyone else.

Boy, are we having fun this time?

This'll be the first trip to space

for Mike Good, known as Bueno.

He enjoys a slightly soggy hug

from his wife Joan.

Soon they'll be saying their goodbyes

to families and friends.

Shuttle arm operator Megan McArthur

describes the last hours before launch.

I always loved being by the ocean...

...surrounded by dunes and,

you know, seaside plants.

It's very calming for me,

down at Kennedy.

And it's just a nice place

to go kind of relax...

...and let your mind wander a little bit...

...and relieve you from the different cares

about getting ready to launch.

Launch day is finally here.

It's no secret

that space is a dangerous place.

In the last two decades, 32 astronauts

have put their own lives on the line...

...to give life to Hubble.

Each one of these men and women

is a true hero.

T-minus five minutes and counting.

Go for orbiter APU start.

PLT, perform APU start.

OTC, PLT and mark.

- SRO.

- SRO is go.

- You have a range clear to launch.

- And CDR.

CDR and entire crew is go.

Okay, Scooter.

Look, it's a great day to go fly.

On behalf of the KSC processing and launch

team I'd like to wish you, your crew...

...and the Hubble Space Telescope team

a great mission. Good luck, Godspeed.

We'll see you back here in about 11 days.

Enjoy the ride, pal.

Nozzle check

of the SRBs, firing chain is armed.

Sound suppression water system armed.

T-minus 10, nine...

...eight, seven...

...six, five...

...four, three...

...two, one.

And liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis!

Atlantis on its way,

all three engines now throttling down...

...as the vehicle passes through

the area of maximum dynamic pressure.

Atlantis, go at throttle up.

Houston, Atlantis copies. Go at throttle.

Approaching staging...

...the burnout

of the twin solid rocket boosters.

Thrust tailing off

and SRBs standing by for separation.

Separation confirmed.

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