For the last time, the US Space Shuttle has approached the International Space Station (ISS). Following a dramatic launch from Cape Canaveral last week that was witnessed by an estimated one million people, Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-135 lifted a small crew to a welcome rendezvous three days ago with the orbiting station. Although NASA is discontinuing the aging shuttle fleet, NASA astronauts in the near future will be able to visit the ISS on Russian space flights. Pictured above, Atlantis rises toward the ISS with its cargo bay doors open, showing a gleaming metallic Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. Over 200 kilometers below lie the cool blue waters of planet Earth. The much-anticipated last glide back to Earth for the Space Shuttle is currently scheduled for next Thursday, July 21.

Atlantis039 Last Approach
Atlantis' Last Approach ISS Expedition 28 Crew, NASA
Atlantis in Earth orbit
This is one of a series of images taken by the station crew of space shuttle Atlantis in Earth orbit. Seen at the rear of the cargo bay is the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, packed with supplies and spare parts for the orbiting outpost. The shuttle 'posed' for photographs and visual surveys and performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver. A 400 millimeter lens was used to capture this particular series of images. NASA
A Post Launch Tradition
NASA Kennedy Space Center worker Dwayne Hutcheson sweeps the Launch Control Center lobby floor in preparation for the post-launch tradition of corn bread and beans after the successful launch of the space shuttle Atlantis from Launch Pad 39A on Friday, July 8, 2011. The launch of Atlantis on the STS-135 mission is the final flight of the shuttle program. NASA/Bill Ingalls
NASA Aging International Space Station NASA