Shuttle Launch

Embarking on a long-delayed trip to service the Hubble Space Telescope, the Space Shuttle Atlantis had a smooth launch from Kennedy Space Center on May 11, 2009 at 2:01 p.m. The crew, headed by commander Scott Altman, will perform improvements on the Hubble that will make it 100 times more powerful and keep it powered for at least five years.*National Geographic: Shuttle Launch Successful; Final Hubble Repairs Await (May 11, 2009)

Atlantis spacewalker Mike Massimino will make Twitter posts from space. It will be the first time an astronaut has done so. Massimino's Twitter user name is "Astro_Mike."

Prior to the Atlantis' maintenance mission, the last time the Hubble Telescope had been serviced was 2002. Improvements performed by the Atlantis crew will allow the telescope to examine cosmic mysteries—including the universe's elusive "dark matter" and the formation of galaxies—more deeply than before.*National Geographic: Shuttle Launch Successful; Final Hubble Repairs Await (May 11, 2009)

The Space Shuttle Endeavour launched from Cape Canaveral on November 14, 2008and headed to the International Space Station on a remodeling mission. The crew refitted the ISS so it could house six astronauts instead of only three and installed a recycling system that turns urine into drinking water. The crew also conducted spacewalks in order to perform maintenance on the the solar arrays that power the station. Crew member Sandra Magnus switched places with space station resident Greg Chamitoff.CBS Canada: NASA readies for nighttime shuttle launch (November 14, 2008)