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STS-125: The mission

A detailed step-by-step preview of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to extend the life and vision of the Hubble Space Telescope.

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STS-125: The EVAs

The lead spacewalk officer provides indepth explanations of the five EVAs to service Hubble during Atlantis' flight.

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STS-125: The crew

The seven shuttle Atlantis astronauts hold a press conference one month before their planned launch to Hubble.

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STS-125: NASA leaders

The leaders of NASA's Space Operations and Science directorates give their insights into the upcoming shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

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STS-125: Shuttle boss

The head of NASA's space shuttle program discusses the risks and plans for Atlantis' trek to Hubble.

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The Hubble program

An overview of the Hubble Space Telescope program and the planning that has gone into the final servicing mission.

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Hubble's future science

The new instruments to be installed into Hubble and the future science objectives for the observatory are previewed.

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Meet the Hubble crew

Meet the crew launching on Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope and learn how each became an astronaut in this special biography movie.

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Grunsfeld hails Hubble as final spacewalk ends
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: May 18, 2009

Astronomer-astronaut John Grunsfeld, veteran of seven previous Hubble Space Telescope spacewalks and a self-described "Hubble hugger," inadvertently bumped into one of the observatory's two low-gain antennas toward the end of an otherwise smooth spacewalk today, knocking off a small end piece. Groaning with disbelief, Grunsfeld said, "oh, I feel terrible."

But engineers at the Goddard Space Flight Center quickly reported the antenna was still working normally. Grunsfeld and fellow spacewalker Andrew Feustel were asked to put a protective cover over the cone-shaped device for added insulation before ending today's spacewalk.

"Sorry, Mr. Hubble," Grunsfeld said as he headed back to Atlantis' airlock. "Have a good voyage."

"Consider it a goodbye kiss, John," someone said.

"Ah, thanks."

Dan Burbank in mission control tried to reassure Grunsfeld that he hadn't harmed the telescope.

"Just to let you know, we're feeling real good about this," he said. "We think that antenna's going to be just fine. Again, in receive mode it works just fine, expectation is it'll work great in transmit mode, too. There are a lot of happy folks down here on the ground, at Goddard, here at Johnson and all around the world. We just look back and kind of marvel at the last five days and all the amazing work, electronic brain surgery and I don't know how else you could put it that you guys accomplished on that telescope. Hubble's never had it better, it's never been more capable and it's just been a marvel to watch you guys do this."

"Thanks so much, Dan, I couldn't agree more," commander Scott Altman radioed from the shuttle's flight deck. "John, remember, take a moment here. This is it. The last spacewalk on Hubble and maybe our last visit to space. So enjoy this. You earned it."

"Thanks, I appreciate that. And Dan, thanks for those kind words. I hope we don't lose too many db (decibels). We really have achieved a lot out here. Thanks a lot, Scooter."

Grunsfeld and Feustel began repressurizing the shuttle Atlantis' airlock at 3:22 p.m. EDT to close out a seven-hour two-minute spacewalk, the crew's fifth and final EVA to service and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, 19 years after the observatory's launch.

With today's installation of a second battery pack, a refurbished fine guidance sensor and three insulation panels - one more than originally planned - the astronauts completed the last remaining objectives of NASA's fifth and final Hubble service call.

Before repressurizing the airlock, Grunsfeld, one of the space telescope's most ardent - and eloquent - supporters, took a moment to mark a "tour de force of tools and human ingenuity" and to thank the men and women who made Atlantis' mission possible.

"As Arthur C. Clarke says, the only way of finding the limits on the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible," he said. "And on this mission, we tried some things that many people said were impossible - fixing STIS, repairing ACS, achieving all the content that we have in this mission. But we've achieved that and we wish Hubble the very best.

"It's really a sign of the great country that we live in that we're able to do things like this on a marvelous spaceship like the space shuttle Atlantis. And I'm convinced that if we can solve problems like repairing Hubble, getting to space, doing the servicing we do traveling 17,500 miles an hour around the Earth, that we can achieve other great things, like solving our energy problems and our climate problems, all things that are in the middle of NASA's prime and core values.

"As Drew and I go into the airlock, I want to wish Hubble its own set of adventures, and with the new set of instruments we've installed, that it may unlock further mysteries of the universe."

The antenna incident occurred near the end of today's spacewalk as Grunsfeld was rigging Hubble's support platform for the telescope's deployment Tuesday.

"One last handshake with Mr. Hubble from me," Grunsfeld called at 2:27 p.m., removing a support post from the base of the telescope. "OK, I'm off the telescope."

"Copy, off the telescope," Mike Massimino said from the flight deck.

A few moments later, Grunsfeld apparently bumped the low-gain antenna.

"Low gain ant... hold, John, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop," Michael Good radioed from inside Atlantis as Grunsfeld floating near the base of the telescope.

"Thank you."

"OK. We liberated a small piece of something off the end of that."

"Yep, we did," someone said.

"You see where it went?"

"It's under the telescope, passing underneath," Good said. "OK, it's coming back down into the payload bay now."

"You see where?"

"Yeah, I can see it. It's right by the BAPS post. You can probably even get it."

"I don't think it's an issue," astronaut Michael Massimino said.

"Yep, I think we ought to get it," Grunsfeld disagreed.

"OK."

"We've got eyes on it," someone said.

"Let me go look at the antenna..." Grunsfeld said.

"It looks like a little piece of tape..."

"Ahhhh..." Grunsfeld groaned. "Is it a little piece of tape?"

"Yeah."

"I've got it," Feustel said.

"Oh no, I hope the antenna's OK," Grunsfeld said. "Oh, I feel terrible."

"You hit the low gain?" Massimino asked.

"I tapped the low gain antenna with my foot," Grunsfeld said. "Ahh...."

"There are two of them," Massimino said in an effort to cheer up his crewmate.

"No, Houston, do you have a picture of this?" Grunsfeld asked.

"Atlantis, Houston, we can't see you right now," Dan Burbank called from mission control.

"OK. I'm sick," Grunsfeld said. "It kind of knocked off the end cap."

Hubble Program Manager Preston Burch said Hubble's two low-gain antennas are primarily used to beam down engineering data when a malfunction or software glitch triggers a "safe mode" response. He said both antennas were designed to operate normally even if the protective covers are in place and that no problems are anticipated.

The Atlantis astronauts plan to release the space telescope Tuesday. The shuttle is scheduled to land Friday at the Kennedy Space Center.

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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: MONDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM HST CONTROL CENTER PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: HUBBLE'S HIGH-GAIN ANTENNA BOOMS UNFOLDED PLAY
VIDEO: COVER PUT ON HUBBLE ANTENNA AS EVA CONCLUDES PLAY
VIDEO: REFLECTING ON THE MISSION AS SPACEWALK NEARS END PLAY
VIDEO: SHEET OF THERMAL COVERING ADDED TO BAY 7 DOOR PLAY
VIDEO: NEW THERMAL SHIELDING PANEL PUT ON BAY 8 DOOR PLAY
VIDEO: DEGRADED THERMAL BLANKET PEELED OFF BAY 5 DOOR PLAY
VIDEO: THE OLD FINE GUIDANCE SENSOR STOWED FOR LANDING PLAY
VIDEO: UPGRADED FINE GUIDANCE SENSOR INSTALLED IN HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: OLD FINE GUIDANCE SENSOR REMOVED FROM TELESCOPE PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS STRUGGLE WITH BOLTS AND LATCHES PLAY
VIDEO: REPLACEMENT OF HUBBLE'S 19-YEAR-OLD BATTERIES PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS EMERGE FROM AIRLOCK TO START EVA PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 5 PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM HST CONTROL CENTER PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SPACE TELESCOPE IMAGING SPECTROGRAPH WORK DONE PLAY
VIDEO: OPENING COVER ON THE ELECTRONICS MODULE ON STIS PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKER MIKE MASSIMINO REMOVES TINY SCREWS PLAY
VIDEO: TRIP FROM AIRLOCK BACK WITH SPARE POWER TOOL PLAY
VIDEO: CAPTURE PLATE MOUNTED ONTO STIS POWER MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: MASSIMINO FIGHTS WITH STUCK BOLT ON HANDRAIL PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS GET ORGANIZED FOR STIS REPAIR PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 4 PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR'S PREVIEW OF MISSION'S DAY 7 PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM HST CONTROL CENTER PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: REPAIR OF ADVANCED CAMERA FOR SURVEYS FINISHED PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH AS GRUNSFELD REPAIRS HUBBLE CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: COSTAR STOWED IN ATLANTIS' PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: UMBILICALS HOOKED UP TO NEW INSTRUMENT PLAY
VIDEO: COSMIC ORIGINS SPECTROGRAPH INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: SPECTROGRAPH PREPPED IN LAUNCH CARRIER PLAY
VIDEO: COSTAR OPTICS PACKAGE REMOVED FROM HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS OPEN SHROUD DOORS ON TELESCOPE PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 3 PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR'S PREVIEW OF MISSION'S DAY 6 PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM HST CONTROL CENTER PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SPARE GYRO UNIT INSTALLED INTO THIRD POSITION PLAY
VIDEO: ANOTHER GYROSCOPE UNIT PUT INTO SECOND SLOT PLAY
VIDEO: TROUBLE INSTALLING SECOND GYROSCOPE PACKAGE PLAY
VIDEO: REMOVAL OF SECOND GYROSCOPE PACKAGE FROM HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: INSTALLATION OF FIRST GYROSCOPE INTO HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: REMOVAL OF FIRST GYROSCOPE PACKAGE FROM HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR'S PREVIEW OF MISSION'S DAY 5 PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM HST CONTROL CENTER PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SOFT CAPTURE MECHANISM PUT ON HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: SCIENCE INSTRUMENT COMMAND & DATA HANDLING UNIT PLAY
VIDEO: PARTIALLY FAILED SIC&DH UNIT REMOVED FROM HST PLAY
VIDEO: WFPC2 CAMERA STOWED IN ATLANTIS FOR RETURN PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF WIDE FIELD CAMERA 3 INSTRUMENT PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS INSTALL THE WIDE FIELD CAMERA 3 PLAY
VIDEO: NEW WIDE FIELD CAMERA 3 PREPPED FOR INSTALLATION PLAY
VIDEO: 16-YEAR-OLD WFPC2 CAMERA REMOVED FROM HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: LATCHING BOLT ON WPFC2 FINALLY RELEASED PLAY
VIDEO: FIGHTING WITH TROUBLESOME BOLT ON WPFC2 PLAY
VIDEO: FEUSTEL INSTALLS HANDLE ONTO WPFC2 FOR REMOVAL PLAY
VIDEO: HANDLING FIXTURE DEPLOYED TO HOLD OLD CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: GRUNSFELD INSTALLS SUPPORT POSTS UNDER HST PLAY
VIDEO: FEUSTEL OPENS LATCHES ON INSTRUMENT CARRIER PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS EXIT AIRLOCK TO START EVA NO. 1 PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM HST CONTROL CENTER PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF MOVING HUBBLE INTO PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' ROBOT ARM CAPTURES HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST UP CLOSE VIEWS OF HUBBLE IN 7 YEARS PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ENGINE FIRING TO CIRCULARIZE ORBIT PLAY
VIDEO: INSIGHTFUL OVERVIEW OF ATLANTIS' MISSION PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW ANIMATION OF HUBBLE RENDEZVOUS PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM HST CONTROL CENTER PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: SLOW-MOTION OF DEBRIS THAT APPARENTLY HIT TILES PLAY
VIDEO: TILE DAMAGE FOUND DURING INSPECTIONS PLAY
VIDEO: CAPCOM CALLS CREW ABOUT MINOR DAMAGE PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW ANIMATION OF HEAT SHIELD INSPECTIONS PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THE FULL STS-125 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: EXTERNAL TANK CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: FOOTAGE OF FUEL TANK AFTER JETTISON PLAY

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: FRONT CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-1 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-2 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-6 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 009 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 041 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 049 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 050 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 051 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 060 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 061 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 063 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 070 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 071 PLAY

VIDEO: SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS BLASTS OFF! PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: STS-125 POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF DAY 1 INSPECTIONS PLAY

VIDEO: FINAL PRE-LAUNCH READINESS POLLS CONDUCTED PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE'S CREW MODULE HATCH CLOSED FOR FLIGHT PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST MEGAN MCARTHUR BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: PILOT GREG JOHNSON BOARDS ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST JOHN GRUNSFELD BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE COMMANDER SCOTT ALTMAN BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR LAUNCH PAD PART 1 | PART 2
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS DON SPACESUITS FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF LAUNCH PAD GANTRY ROLLBACK PLAY

VIDEO: HUBBLE'S FUTURE AFTER ATLANTIS SERVICING PLAY
VIDEO: TOP DISCOVERIES MADE BY HUBBLE TELESCOPE PLAY
VIDEO: THE ROLLERCOASTER LIFE OF HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: WHAT IS HUBBLE'S PLACE IN HISTORY? PLAY
VIDEO: ENTERTAINING LOOK AT ATLANTIS' CREW PLAY
VIDEO: HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE HISTORY MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: A TRIBUTE TO THE CAMERA THAT SAVED HUBBLE PLAY
VIDEO: HUBBLE TELESCOPE PROGRAM BRIEFING FROM SUNDAY PLAY

VIDEO: SUNDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS AND WEATHER UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: THE STS-125 PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS AND WEATHER UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT THE CAPE FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS AND WEATHER UPDATE PLAY

VIDEO: NEWS BRIEFING FOLLOWING FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW PLAY

VIDEO: REFRESHER BRIEFING: THE STS-125 MISSION PLAY
VIDEO: REFRESHER BRIEFING: HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE PLAY
VIDEO: REFRESHER BRIEFING: THE SEVEN ASTRONAUTS PLAY

VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY MOVIE OF ATLANTIS' CREW PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH COMMANDER SCOTT ALTMAN PLAY | '09 UPDATE
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH PILOT GREG JOHNSON PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS1 MIKE GOOD PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS2 MEGAN MCARTHUR PLAY
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS3 JOHN GRUNSFELD PLAY | '09 UPDATE
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS4 MIKE MASSIMINO PLAY | '09 UPDATE
VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH MS5 DREW FEUSTEL PLAY | '09 UPDATE

VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS ARRIVES AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE SUN RISES ON ATLANTIS DURING ROLLOUT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ATLANTIS EMERGES FROM ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ORBITER VERTICAL FOR MATING TO FUEL TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ATLANTIS MOVES BACK TO ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: ATLANTIS LEAVES LAUNCH PAD 39A IN OCT. PLAY
VIDEO: TIMELAPSE OF THE ROLLBACK GETTING UNDERWAY PLAY

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS REHEARSE QUICK SHUTTLE EXIT PLAY
VIDEO: CREW BOARDS ATLANTIS FOR MOCK COUNTDOWN PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS DON SUITS FOR PRACTICE COUNTDOWN PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S TRAINING ON ESCAPE BASKETS AND BUNKER PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS CHAT WITH PRESS AT LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: CREW TEST DRIVES EMERGENCY PAD ESCAPE VEHICLE PLAY
VIDEO: COMMANDER AND PILOT PRACTICE LANDING APPROACHES PLAY
VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT CAPE FOR PRACTICE COUNTDOWN PLAY
VIDEO: COMMENTS FROM COMMANDER AFTER ARRIVING PLAY

VIDEO: AERIAL VIEWS OF ATLANTIS AND ENDEAVOUR PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING: THE STS-125 MISSION PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING: THE FIVE SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING: THE SEVEN ASTRONAUTS PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING: NASA LEADERSHIP PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING: SHUTTLE PROGRAM BOSS PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING: HUBBLE OVERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING: HUBBLE SCIENCE PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE ARRIVES ATOP PAD 39A PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS EMERGES FROM VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE MOVIE OF ATLANTIS' ROLLOUT TO LAUNCH PAD PLAY

VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLS FROM HANGAR TO VAB PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS LIFTED INTO PLACE FOR ATTACHMENT PLAY
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