Orbiter: Columbia
Shuttle Mission: STS-109
Date: March 1, 2002

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -– Minutes before launch, the Orbiter Access Arm is retracted from the crew cabin. The goal of the mission is to replace Solar Array 2 with Solar Array 3, replace the Power Control Unit, remove the Faint Object Camera and install the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), install the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Cooling System, and install New Outer Blanket Layer insulation.

Live Countdown Coverage | Previous Countdown Events
Pre-Launch Video Table of Contents

Launch Video Coverage
Arm Retraction
March 1, 2002

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56k Modem Part 1 - 288Kb

Arm retraction (Includes NASA Commentary)

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STS-109 photos are online. (Note: This is a graphic-intensive site and may be difficult to view with low speed modems or when this web site receives heavy traffic loads).