Workers lead the way The shuttle plays follow the leader behind Kennedy Space Center employees during the quarter-mile trip to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Here I am Endeavour sits in the Vehicle Assembly Building transfer isle waiting to be attached to a lifting sling and crane. The 100-ton shuttle Endeavour is lowered into position next to the external fuel tank in the VAB's High Bay 2. Almost there Slowly and carefully, workers move Endeavour in front of the external tank to align the shuttle with attach points. No. 3 after a similar powerplant was found damaged during testing.
New engine arrives The new engine is seen being raised into position beneath Endeavour.
The engine swap was ordered because the old engine had undergone the same test procedures that apparently damaged a test powerplant. Endeavour began the 3.5-mile trek from the VAB to the oceanside launch pad during the morning. The crawler-transporter that moves the shuttle and the mobile launcher platform from the VAB to the launch pad has a top speed of 1 mile per hour. Fla. Mission patch The official STS-103 Hubble repair mission embroidered patch is now available from the Astronomy Now Store. Next Launch A Lockheed Martin Athena 1 will launch the Kodiak Star mission for NASA and the Air Force no sooner than Saturday from Kodiak Island, Alaska.