When space shuttle Atlantis left Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, it marked the final liftoff for the decades-long space shuttle program. During the twelve day mission (since expanded to thirteen days), the four-person crew will deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
Atlantis' crew faces the uninspiring but essential task of unpacking 9,403 pounds (4,265 kg) of spare equipment, supplies and food from an Italian-made cargo carrier hauled to the station in the shuttle's cargo bay.
The space shuttle Atlantis has been in space 32 times since 1985, and orbited the earth 4,648 times, but she's now on her last journey.
Let's take a look at the trip so far:
The space shuttle Atlantis goes through a backflip rotation to expose the heat shield to International Space Station crew members, who will snap high resolution digital photographs of the orbiter's thermal shield as the shuttle approaches the station for docking in this still image from NASA TV July 10, 2011.REUTERSThe space shuttle Atlantis is seen docked to the International Space Station with the earth in the background in this image from NASA TV July 10, 2011.REUTERSA 400 millimeter lens was used by an International space station crew member to capture this image of the space shuttle Atlantis as it drew close to the station for docking in this photo provided by NASA and taken July 10, 2011.REUTERSThe starboard wing of the space shuttle Atlantis is seen in this close up image taken with a 400mm lens by an International Space Station crew member as the orbiter approached the station for docking in this photo provided by NASA and taken July 10, 2011.REUTERSJAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa (L) and space shuttle Atlantis Commander Chris Ferguson (R) help International Space Station flight engineer Mike Fossum prepare for his spacewalk inside the Quest airlock in this image from NASA TV July 12, 2011.REUTERSThe space shuttle Atlantis is seen over the Bahamas prior to docking with the International Space Station. Part of a Russian Progress spacecraft docked to the station is seen in the foreground in this photo provided by NASA and taken July 10, 2011.REUTERSThe space shuttle Atlantis is seen over the Bahamas prior to docking with the International Space Station. Part of a Russian Progress spacecraft docked to the station is seen in the foreground in this photo provided by NASA and taken July 10, 2011.REUTERS
