The shuttle Atlantis is about 8000 miles from the Hubble Space Telescope and closing for the rendezvous and capture tomorrow. Yesterday’s liftoff of the shuttle Atlantis did unusual damage to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral. As they close in on the Hubble, the astronauts are inspecting Atlantis for damage. Peter Spotts, staff writer for the Christian Science Monitor, considers the risks and potential rewards of the extraordinary mission.