Rescue shuttle at launch pad for Hubble trip (Update)

September 19, 2008

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Space shuttle Endeavour stands ready after arriving at pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, Sept. 19, 2008. Just a short distance away on pad 39A, technicians continue to prepare space shuttle Atlantis for its targeted Oct. 10 launch on mission STS-125 to service the Hubble Space Telescope.(AP Photo/John Raoux)

(AP) -- In an unprecedented step, a space shuttle was moved to the launch pad Friday for a trip NASA hopes it will never make - a rescue mission.

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• h1ghj3sus - Sep 19, 2008
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  Essential insulation was blown off the telescope's replacement batteries earlier this week and that must be repaired.
  
  hmm...
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• Bazz - Sep 19, 2008
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  Hmm... donuts.
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• DoctorKnowledge - Sep 19, 2008
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  Bizarre. Speaking as an ex-NASA type, this sounds like one of the "signals" that NASA sends when they are preparing for something bad to be reported to the public. (Of course, that doesn't mean something bad will happen, just that someone is spooked.)
  
  Or is it a message to international partners that the ISS needs more funding from them, now, to make it viable? Hmm, that would be a little subtle for NASA.
  
  Whatever it is, something important is not being said.
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• HoP - Sep 20, 2008
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  Dr No-Ledge, you are an idiot and should not be allowed to use a keyboard. NASA is "covering it's ass" after the last disaster. Everyone knows that spaceflight is dangerous, but the Hubble is worth the risk. Nothing else is going on.
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• gaetanomarano - Sep 23, 2008
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  STOP the Hubble Servicing Mission 4 now!!!
  
  It's TOO dangerous!!!
  
  There's no ISS "safe haven" near the Hubble!!!
  
  Do you want TWO Shuttles and 11 astronauts LOST in space???
  
  It could be THE END of the Shuttle program and (perhaps) THE END of ALL manned space programs for LONG, LONG time!!!
  
  There are SEVERAL (much safer!!!) ways to upgrade the Hubble WITHOUT risk to lose 11 astronauts lives and make 11 widow(er)s and 20 orphans!!!
  
  http://www.ghostn...trap.jpg
  
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