Hubble’s Final Servicing Mission

Two NASA T-38 jet trainer aircraft fly over the Space Shuttle Endeavour on Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. After Atlantis leaves Pad A (out of frame), Endeavour will be moved from Pad B to Pad A to support the STS-127 mission. Currently, Endeavour is being prepared as a backup vehicle for Atlantis, and it will be designated STS-400 if in the unlikely event it's needed for a rescue flight. The two pictured aircraft were piloted by Jack Nickel (in jet with tail number 62, top) and Charles Justiz (in jet with tail number 24). (NASA)

On Monday, May 11, after months of delays and preparation, NASA’s Space Shuttle Atlantis launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the final servicing mission to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. The seven crew members left Florida for low Earth orbit at 2:01 pm, for a scheduled 11-day mission, including 5 days of Extra-vehicular activity (EVAs) to work on the Hubble. So far the repairs appear to be going very well – the final EVA is scheduled for today, and the landing planned for May 22nd. I was fortunate enough to attend the launch at Banana Creek viewing area, and wish to extend my gratitude to all the people at NASA. (Only one of the photos below is mine) (31 photos total)

Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-125 lifts off from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center May 11, 2009. (Matt Stroshane/Getty Images)

An STS-125 crewmember onboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis snapped a still photo of the Hubble Space Telescope as the two spacecraft approached each other in Earth orbit prior to the capture of the giant observatory. (NASA)

‘Beam me up Barack’: Obama as Vulcan?

Live Long and Prosper Off the Backs of Others

The latest Obamagasm…

President Barack Obama said in a report Sunday that he saw the new “Star Trek” film recently — and not just because it was last week’s top-grossing movie.”Everybody was saying I was Spock,” said the US leader, known to have a wonkish command of the minutiae of policy — not unlike the dispassionate movie Vulcan to whom he has been compared.

Newsweek gushed however that Obama’s version of the character would be “Spock with global sex appeal.”

The latest in the “Star Trek” sci-fi franchise beamed up to the top of the North American box office last weekend, but slipped this week to second place.

Revealing a bit more about his leisure time viewing, the president told the magazine that he refuses to watch cable news, opting to stick to televised sports.

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Aptera 300MPG Electric Car Featured in Star Trek XI Scene

Star Fleet Academy where Aptera will be parked.

Boldly Going to Southern California

When producers needed a large, academic building to use for establishing exterior shots of the Academy Starfleet Academy, they turned to the Oviatt Library at Cal State Northridge, with its large open green, wide flight of stairs and tall regal columns. Ain’t It Cool News reports that in addition to “futurizing” the library, the producers also placed an Aptera TYP-1 electric car capable of 300 miles per gallon, in the Academy shots for an extended cameo. Now that’s the kind of ride you can imagine Kirk zipping around in in the 23rd century.

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Past Aptera Stories

Aptera on Star Trek XI Set