Starship Asterisk*

In today's (2006 Sep 13) picture of Atlantis, there's a strange object in top center foreground. What is it

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060913.html
I presume you are talking about the brown bucket shaped object just above and between the shuttle and one of the boosters. I'm not sure but it might be a piece of equipment used to stabilize the rocket during transport and while sitting on the launchpad.
Orin

It could be the HAT that sits on top of the main tank prior to launch.

I think you're right about the HAT. I searched all the APOD Shuttle pictures, but found none that shows the bird on the pad prelaunch. However, the picture of 1995 Aug 6 shows the HAT swung clear immediately after launch.

BTW there is no top restraint when the Shuttle is mounted on the Crawler. See, 2006 Jul 8 APOD.

Thanks for the clue.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060913.html

Doesn't look like the beanie cap. My guess it is part of the support structure for the photo is obviously near fisheye focal length without actually being fisheye.

got a better idea. may I propose this is an IMAX camera mounted on a solid rocket booster..... Pass the ice cold one

NASAtv played the entire voyage of the SRB from launch to splashdown as seen from aboard the SRB.