<p>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. 
</p><p>Onboard were astronauts Scott Altman, commander; Gregory C. Johnson, pilot; Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel, all mission specialists. 
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Atlantis' 12-day 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.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/144614754@N02">NASA Hubble Space Telescope</a>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahubble/28163290911/">Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-125 Mission</a>