Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates

[brettreds2k]

Did they clean Atlantis up or replace alot of thermal blankets on her? When you look at her rollover Friday, she looks so pristine and white without any battle scars of reentry it seems, where Discovery shows her reentry scars proudly and it is very visible on her front, around the hatch and up her body

[psloss]

Did they clean Atlantis up or replace alot of thermal blankets on her? When you look at her rollover Friday, she looks so pristine and white without any battle scars of reentry it seems, where Discovery shows her reentry scars proudly and it is very visible on her front, around the hatch and up her body

No special cleanups; bright light washes that out in imagery.  (Contrast and other camera settings can do the same in different light.)

[brettreds2k]

Gotcha, one thing that gives them the personality is the wear and tear of reentry so in those pictures she looked so clean...lol, where as Discovery in outside rollover shots still always looked like the girl with the most abuse

[nathan.moeller]

Per KSC VC's website, Atlantis is scheduled to be rolled to her new home on Friday, November 2 - http://kennedyspacecenter.com/event.aspx?id=5270bbe4-2c8f-4fb9-9080-85f8f5ac1f52&calendar=2012/11/0/

[Orbiter]

I thought it was on February 1st?

Orbiter

[Space Pete]

I thought it was on February 1st?

Orbiter

I believe February 1st 2013 (10th anniversary of Columbia) is when the Atlantis exhibit officially opens to the public?

[nathan.moeller]

I thought it was on February 1st?

Orbiter

I believe February 1st 2013 (10th anniversary of Columbia) is when the Atlantis exhibit officially opens to the public?

February 1, 2013 was an extremely tentative rollover date that got tossed around a bit last year.  It was noted a while back that it would be November 2012 and now we're seeing an actual day.  The exhibit is scheduled to open in July 2013.

[brettreds2k]

Yeah they are rolling her in once 3 walls are up, then once she is inside they will build the remaining 4th wall on the building. I wonder how they will protect her from the element and construction dust, etc while a wall is built once rolled in there.

[simpl simon]

Did they clean Atlantis up or replace alot of thermal blankets on her? When you look at her rollover Friday, she looks so pristine and white without any battle scars of reentry it seems, where Discovery shows her reentry scars proudly and it is very visible on her front, around the hatch and up her body

I was in the VAB last Monday and able to walk all around and under Atlantis. Up close the wear and tear is very evident - especially replaced insulation blankets, and various signs of re-entry heating. A surprising amount of gap-filler between the tiles was missing, perhaps indicating the tiles had been replaced after the final mission. All-in-all she looked very much hand-made, and somehow fragile.

[robertross]

I thought this might interest people, in case they intent to visit. I just received it via e-mail from KSC-VC:

For the first time in 50 years, NASA is opening its gates to public visitors to tour the main launch pad. The new KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad Tour, the latest to open of the three special behind-the-scenes tours, takes visitors from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to the inside of Launch Pad 39-A, the location of space shuttle and Apollo Saturn V moon rocket launches.

The tour travels nearly a quarter-mile within the perimeter security fence of Launch Pad 39-A. Visitors can enjoy close views of the 350-foot-high fixed service structure, rotating service structure, propellant storage containers, water tanks, flame trench and other aspects of the launch pad complex. The highlight of the tour is the photo opportunity during the stop at the pad. The tour also includes drive-by views of Launch Pad 39-B, the Vehicle Assembly Building, mobile launch platforms and culminates at the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

This tour is offered for a limited time only!

Also:

See Atlantis Up-Close!
Celebrate the "Year of Atlantis" with a firsthand look of the orbiter.
For a limited time, visitors who take the special behind-the-scenes tour of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) have an opportunity to get an up-close view of space shuttle Atlantis. On November 2, space shuttle Atlantis rolls over to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex as part of the "Atlantis Homecoming: The Celebration." Click here for more information. 

[Aobrien]

Looking at the other thread for Endeavour I can't believe no one posted pictures of the building being built for Atlantis. They are posted to here:
http://kennedyspacecenter.com/atlantis.aspx

They even post them every 5 min to create a good time lapse.
Maybe I just missed it

First picture is when the project started on April 14
The second is from today

[robertross]

Looking at the other thread for Endeavour I can't believe no one posted pictures of the building being built for Atlantis. They are posted to here:
http://kennedyspacecenter.com/atlantis.aspx

They even post them every 5 min to create a good time lapse.
Maybe I just missed it

First picture is when the project started on April 14
The second is from today

Wow, looking beautiful. All the more reason to go back and visit KSC! 

[Aobrien]

Dreams came true today. Finally took the drive over to Kennedy Space Center and took the up clos VAB tour. All I can say is it was amazing. Getting go inside the VAB was incredible and I can't even explain it. Then getting to see Atlantis 10ft in front of me for the first time was something I can't even explain. I loved every moment of it. While on the bus we even got a special surprise to which you'll see in the Endeavour thread. Here are my pictures

[jacqmans]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M45-12

NASA INVITES MEDIA TO VIEW KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SHUTTLE SWAP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Media are invited to a photo opportunity at
approximately 8:30 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 16, as space shuttles
Endeavour and Atlantis switch locations at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center, Fla.

After Endeavour is backed out of Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2)
and Atlantis is moved out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB),
both shuttles briefly will stop outside of OPF-2 for a "nose-to-nose"
photo opportunity.

Media must arrive at Kennedy's Press Site by 7:30 a.m. for
transportation to the event.

Journalists without NASA Kennedy accreditation need to apply for
credentials by noon, Aug. 15. International media accreditation for
this event is closed. Badges may be picked up at the Kennedy Space
Center Badging Office on State Road 405. Media must apply for
credentials online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

The move will mark the final time that Endeavour will roll out of an
OPF, temporarily moving into the VAB until September. Endeavour is
targeted to depart Kennedy atop the NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft in
mid-September and fly to Los Angeles International Airport. In
mid-October, it will be moved to the California Science Center for
permanent public display.

In OPF-2, Atlantis will undergo preparations for its move to the
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in November. There, a grand
opening is planned for Atlantis' new home in July 2013.

For more information about the shuttles' preparations for public
display, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

[Ford Mustang]

Atlantis is now out of the VAB and on the way to OPF-1.