In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility a technician works to replace the protective cover on the Super Lightweight Interchangeable Carrier.

In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a technician works to replace the protective cover on the Super Lightweight Interchangeable Carrier, or SLIC. The cover was removed to clean the carrier of contaminants found Sept. 17 during preparations to deliver NASA's Hubble Space Telescope servicing payload to Launch Pad 39A. Cleanliness is extremely important for space shuttle Atlantis’ STS-125 mission to Hubble, and the teams have insured that the SLIC is ready to fly. The SLIC, which holds battery module assemblies, is built with state-of-the-art, lightweight, composite materials - carbon fiber with a cyanate ester resin and a titanium metal matrix composite. These composites have greater strength-to-mass ratios than the metals typically used in spacecraft design. The carrier is one of four being transferred to Launch Pad 39A. At the pad, the carriers will be loaded into Atlantis’ payload bay. Launch of Atlantis is targeted for Oct. 10. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller