Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-125 Mission

Space Shuttle Atlantis and its seven-member STS-125 crew head toward Earth orbit and rendezvous with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Liftoff was on time at 2:01 p.m. EDT on May 11, 2009, from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Onboard were astronauts Scott Altman, commander; Gregory C. Johnson, pilot; Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, and Andrew Feustel, all mission specialists. Atlantis' flight included five spacewalks that refurbished and upgraded the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments that expanded Hubble's capabilities and extended its operational lifespan. The payload included the Wide Field Camera 3, a Fine Guidance Sensor, and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph.