posted 08-14-2017 10:23 AM            

Other missions that had three rollouts: STS-79 (Atlantis) in 1996, and STS-98 (Atlantis) in 2001.

STS-106 (Atlantis) did a rollaround from High Bay 1 to High Bay 2 in August 2000 before the rollout to 39B.

The sun is rising over the Atlantic Ocean (right) as Shuttle Atlantis sits outside the Vehicle Assembly Building's (VAB) high bay 2 on the building's west side after completing a fit check. This is the first time in Space Shuttle history that a fully stacked Shuttle has been moved into the space. The VAB and nearby rock-paved crawlerway have recently undergone major modifications to provide Shuttle fliglht hardware more storage space and protection - "Safe Haven" - from hurricanes or tropical storms. Atlantis, the twin solid rocket boosters and external tank begain moving out of VAB high bay 1 on the east side at 2:59 a.m. EDT. The 6-million pound crawler transporter carried the Mobile Launcher Platform and Space Shuttle around the north side of the VAB and into high bay 2. After the successful "Safe Haven" fit check, Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39B in preparation for the STS-106 launch on Sept. 8.

posted 08-16-2017 10:58 AM            

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, visitors are able to see the rare event of a rollaround as space shuttle Endeavour moves away from Launch Pad 39B and turns toward Launch Pad 39A. First motion from pad 39B was at 8:28 a.m. EDT. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14 on the STS-126 mission...

posted 08-17-2017 09:59 AM            

On Oct. 23, 2008, space shuttle Endeavour took center stage as it moved from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B to Launch Pad 39A on the crawler-transporter — a journey that took about eight hours and covered a distance of 3.4 miles.

For more than a month, Endeavour stood stately on Pad B while Atlantis occupied Pad A for its STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Endeavour was prepared as Atlantis' rescue mission and for its STS-126 mission to the International Space Station.

After a technical problem on Hubble delayed the servicing mission, Atlantis and its payload returned to Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building, making way for Endeavour's move to the center's primary launch site.

"It's a very rare set of circumstances," said Ken Tenbusch, flow director for Endeavour. "By rolling around (to Pad A), that allows the Ares and Constellation folks to do the modifications they need to do for their launch."

Endeavour originally was scheduled to move to its next seaside launch pad Oct. 25, but a stormy weekend forecast prompted NASA mission managers to rollaround a few days early.

posted 08-17-2017 02:12 PM            

• STS-35 Columbia - 39A to 39B on October 8, 1990
  
• STS-61 Endeavour - 39A to 39B on November 15, 1993
  
• STS-126 Endeavour - 39B to 39A on October 23, 2008
  
• STS-127 Endeavour - 39B to 39A on May 31, 2009

posted 08-23-2017 12:29 PM            

• STS-104 Atlantis - June 20, 2001 (lightning)
  
• STS-117 Atlantis - March 4, 2007 (hail damage)

Scattered clouds cast shadows as Space Shuttle Atlantis crawls back inside the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 1. After earlier starting its trek to Launch Pad 39B, Atlantis was returned to the VAB due to lightning in the area...

posted 08-25-2017 03:58 PM            

Yesterday evening, KSC managers decided to keep Shuttle Discovery at Launch Pad 39B. Though preparations to roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building due to Hurricane Georges were complete, local weather posed a threat of lightning that exceeded rollback weather criteria. With the rollback first motion on hold, managers monitoring the progress of Hurricane Georges determined that the threat to flight hardware was greater from lightning during a rollback than that of the hurricane. As a result, the rollback was canceled and the rotating service structure returned to position around Discovery.

Hurricane Georges is expected to remain on a northwest path near the west coast of Florida and gusting winds at KSC are not expected to exceed 40 mph. Launch pad weather protection will provide Discovery the necessary shelter from heavy rain and wind gusts. The lightning protection system at the pad will provide additional defense for the Shuttle through the weekend. All activities planned for launch of mission STS-95 remain on schedule.

posted 08-31-2017 03:50 PM            

The Space Shuttle Columbia, left, rolls past Atlantis on its way to Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Atlantis, being readied for STS-38, is parked in front of the Vehicle Assembly Building following its rollback from the pad for liquid hydrogen line repairs. While standing outside the VAB, Atlantis was caught in a hail storm that damaged some of its thermal protection system tiles.

posted 09-04-2017 06:21 PM            

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is being rolled around from Launch Pad 39A to Launch Pad 39B. The rare pad switch was deemed necessary after contamination was discovered in the Payload Changeout Room at Pad A. The transfer began around noon and was completed about seven hours later.

posted 09-15-2017 11:24 AM            

The Space Shuttle Atlantis is rolled out to Launch Pad 39-B in the early morning of Oct. 9, 1986. Atlantis is scheduled to remain at Pad B for seven weeks where it will support checkout of new weather protection structures, a variety of special measurements, launch team proficiency exercises and emergency egress simulations. The 4.2 mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad is the first for the shuttle fleet since the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in January of this year.

posted 10-04-2017 08:38 AM            

STS-76 rollout on Feb 28, 1996:

The Space Shuttle Atlantis' trip to Launch Pad 39B Feb. 28 experienced an unexpected delay when two of the 48 crawler transporters cleats, or "shoes," on the tread split apart during the early morning rollout. Repairs were completed in about six hours, delaying the arrival of the Shuttle at the pad by that amount of time. (from Spaceport News)

A repair crew works to repair the broken cleat on the crawler-transporter, found as it was moving up the incline on Launch Pad 39B.

The Shuttle retreated to level ground so the broken cleat could be repaired. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station ... (KSC-00PADIG-063 photo caption)

posted 10-05-2017 10:24 PM            

Both of NASA's crawler-transporters are seen parked in their area near the Vehicle Assembly Building. Crawler-transporter No. 2 is being checked before it is needed to move the STS-116 stack from VAB high bay 3 to high bay 2 and allow the rollback of Space Shuttle Atlantis into high bay 3. Crawler No. 1 will transport the shuttle from the pad. The rollback will be determined by the mission management team based on information about Hurricane Ernesto and its path through Florida. Atlantis has been poised on Launch Pad 39B for liftoff on mission STS-115 to the International Space Station to deliver the P3/P4 truss segment.

posted 02-23-2018 01:13 PM            

From this photo's caption, a Kennedy Space Center security officer "points to an approximately 24-foot-long crack on the mobile launch platform... This Y-shaped crack is on the MLP surface and runs and runs from near the left-hand SRB flame hole toward the near corner of the MLP."