Atlantis in orbit en route to repair Hubble

A day after their space shuttle successfully launched into orbit, astronauts aboard Atlantis on Tuesday plan to inspect the spaceship and prepare for Wednesday's long-anticipated rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Atlantis launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida Monday in what NASA called a "picture-perfect liftoff," carrying with it the seven-person crew and a cargo hold full of replacement parts for the 19-year-old orbiting observatory.

Hubble has been repaired on four other occasions, but hasn't had a visit since 2002, so many of its parts have either stopped working or are in need of an upgrade.

During the 11-day mission, the astronauts will replace batteries, gyroscopes, cameras and a data-handling unit and fix other equipment. NASA hopes the mission will keep Hubble running another five to 10 years.

On Tuesday, in advance of its arrival, the crew of Atlantis will inspect the shuttle's heat shield, using Atlantis' Canadarm and orbiter boom extension to check out the spacecraft's underside and leading edges of its wings.

The inspection is standard procedure for NASA shuttles, particularly since the 2003 Columbia disaster, when seven astronauts died when their shuttle burned up during re-entry into the atmosphere.

It will take on added importance, however, since the shuttle will be arriving at Hubble and not the safer confines of the International Space Station. Should NASA determine that Atlantis is unable to return to Earth safely, the space shuttle Endeavour is on standby to launch on a rescue mission should it be required. It is the first time NASA has taken such a precaution.