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Elmo Talks with NASA Astronaut Mike Massimino
Credit: NASA/Paul E. Alers
NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, left, and Sesame Street's Elmo speak at the STS-135 Tweetup on July 7, 2011 at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Elmo asked the astronauts questions about living and working in space.
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Dragonfly and Atlantis
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
A dragonfly lands at the edge of the lagoon near Launch Pad 39A on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Space shuttle Atlantis sits on the pad in the distance, awaiting its July 8, 2011, liftoff on the final flight of the shuttle program, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station.
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Tour Bus and Launch Countdown Sign
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
A tour bus drives by a launch countdown sign inside the NASA Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Space shuttle Atlantis is set to liftoff Friday, July 8, on the final flight of the shuttle program, STS-135, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station.
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Landing Practice with Shuttle Training Aircraft
Credit: NASA/Cory Huston
On July 5, STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson and pilot Doug Hurley perform touch-and-go landings aboard a Shuttle Training Aircraft at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The craft is a Gulfstream II jet that was modified to mimic the shuttle's handling during the final phase of landing. These practice landings are a part of standard training procedures. Atlantis and its crew are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the station. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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Go Atlantis
Credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis moves through the perimeter fence at Launch Pad 39A. Go Atlantis!
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STS-135 Crew Members After Training
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
After completing simulated pad emergency exit training on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-135 crew members pause for a photo. From left are Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. The exercise is part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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STS-135 Crew Members Speak To Media
Credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley
The STS-135 crew members speak to media after their arrival at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. From left are Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim
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T-38 Jets at the Shuttle Landing Facility
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
High above NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-135 crew members get ready to land their T-38 jets at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The STS-135 astronauts arrived at Kennedy at about 2:30 p.m. EDT on July 4 for final preparations for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.
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Ferguson and Hurley Practice Landings
Credit: NASA/Cory Huston
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson (left) and Pilot Doug Hurley walk onto Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility to practice touch-and-go landings in a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA). An STA is a Gulfstream II jet that is modified to mimic the shuttle's handling during the final phase of landing. Ferguson and Hurley will practice landings as part of standard procedure before space shuttle Atlantis' launch to the International Space Station. Atlantis and its crew are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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Aboard a Shuttle Training Aircraft
Credit: NASA/Cory Huston
STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley perform touch-and-go landings aboard a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An STA is a Gulfstream II jet that is modified to mimic the shuttle's handling during the final phase of landing.
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Flight Readiness Review
Credit: Jim Grossmann
In the Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Program and mission managers meet for the traditional Flight Readiness Review, a thorough assessment of preparations for the mission. The June 28 meeting is designed to produce a number of key decisions about Atlantis' STS-135 mission, including the announcement of an official launch date. Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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Space Shuttle Atlantis' Payload Bay Doors Closed for Flight
Credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay doors are closed for flight. The payload arrived at the pad June 16 for installation into Atlantis and includes the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. Atlantis and its crew are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley
Credit: NASA/Cory Huston
In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley has his launch-and-landing suit checked by suit technician Cathy Cruz, part of final preparations for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Atlantis and its crew are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the station.
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The Sun Also Rises
Credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
The sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, illuminating space shuttle Atlantis' external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters on Launch Pad 39A. Launch is scheduled to take place for the STS-135 mission on July 8, 2011. This image was taken on June 23, 2011.
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Space Shuttle Atlantis at the Launch Pad - STS-135
Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach
Space shuttle Atlantis stands on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it is set to liftoff on STS-135, the final shuttle mission.
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NASA's Last 4 Shuttle Astronauts Arrive for Countdown
NASA’s final space shuttle crew waves American flags celebrating their Fourth of July arrival at Kennedy Space Center for their launch on July 8, 2011. From left to right: Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.
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STS-135 TCDT Walkout
The four astronauts on shuttle Atlantis' final mission, the STS-135 flight, conducted a dress rehearsal for their July liftoff on June 23.
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Atlantis Rolls Out with Spectators
Credit: NASA/Gianni Woods
Thousands of spectators watched space shuttle Atlantis' historic final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 31, 2011.
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STS-135 Crew at Rollout
Shuttle Atlantis' final crew, commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, stand in front of the orbiter as it rolls out to the launch pad one last time.
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Atlantis with Crew
The crew of STS-135, NASA's final mission for its space shuttle program, pose in front of their spacecraft, space shuttle Atlantis on May 17, 2011. From left to right: mission specialist Rex Walheim, commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialist Sandra Magnus.
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Shuttle Atlantis' Fuel Tank Nose Art
Lockheed Martin graphic artist Jon Irving displays the 'nose art' to be installed on the final space shuttle's external tank.
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Shuttle Atlantis' Final Rollout
Credit: NASA TV
Space shuttle Atlantis makes one last trip to the launch pad on May 31, 2011 to prepare for its planned July 8 launch for NASA's STS-135 mission, the last-ever flight of the space shuttle program.
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Space Shuttle Atlantis & STS-135 Astronauts at the Launch Pad
NASA's final space shuttle crew took part in a press conference on June 22, 2011 while standing behind their spacecraft, Atlantis, and Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. From left to right: STS-135 mission specialists Rex Walheim, Sandra Magnus, pilot Doug Hurley and commander Chris Ferguson.
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Center of Attention
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
The STS-135 crew members speak to the media at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A in Florida. Commander Chris Ferguson holds a microphone as Pilot Doug Hurley (red cap), along with Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, look on. Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts are at Kennedy for a launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and other training. Atlantis and its crew are scheduled to lift off July 8, 2011, carrying the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.
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Final Four: Shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 Crew
The ‘final four’ space shuttle astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 20, 2011 to practice for their July 8 launch. From left to right: STS-135 mission specialist Sandra Magnus, pilot Doug Hurley, commander Chris Ferguson and mission specialist Rex Walheim.
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Shuttle Atlantis Set for One Last Launch Pad Trek
Credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis
In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shuttle Atlantis is lowered toward the mobile launcher platform where it will be joined with its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters on May 18, 2011. Atlantis will launch on NASA's final shuttle mission on July 8.
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NASA satellite refueling experiment, picture 2
Credit: NASA
The Dextre robot will help affix NASA's Robotic Refueling Mission experiment to the International Space Station's ExPRESS Logistics Carrier-4.
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STS-135 Patch
Credit: NASA
STS-135 patch.
