NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Image left: Space Shuttle Atlantis begins moving through the open door of the Vehicle Assembly Building for the rollout to Launch Pad 39A. First motion was at 8:19 a.m. EST. This will be the first launch from pad 39A in four years. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflet
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Image right: Perched atop the massive mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, Space Shuttle Atlantis rolls slowly toward Launch Pad 39A. The 3.4-mile trip along the crawlerway will take about 6 hours. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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Image left: As Atlantis slowly makes its way to Launch Pad 39A, it passes the payload canister that delivered the payload to the pad. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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Image right: The space shuttle inches its way up the ramp to the hardstand on Launch Pad 39A. At left is the fixed service and open rotating service structure. Between them is the water tower, containing 300,000 gallons of water used for sound suppression at liftoff. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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Image left: Space Shuttle Atlantis arrives on the hardstand on Pad 39A after a 3.4 mile trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building. At left is the open rotating service structure that will be rolled to enclose the shuttle for protection. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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Image right: Flags are flying at the entrance to Launch Pad 39A, where Space Shuttle Atlantis has come to a stop 'hard down' at 3:09 p.m. The shuttle spent about six hours rolling out to Pad 39A after leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building at 8:19 a.m. EST. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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Elaine M. Marconi
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center