1 of 32
Magnus on the Middeck of Atlantis
Credit: NASA
With transfer chores wrapped up, NASA astronaut Sandy Magnus, STS-135 mission specialist, is pictured on the middeck of Atlantis on July 17, 2011, Flight Day 10, less than 24 hours before the shuttle was scheduled to undock from the International Space Station.
2 of 32
Ferguson in Raffaello Module
Credit: NASA
This image shows NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson, STS-135 commander, in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, on July 17, 2011, Flight Day 10. The photo shows the great amount of work by joint crews from Atlantis and the International Space Station to transfer supplies to and from the two spacecraft.
3 of 32
Gathering Inside the Zvezda Service Module
Credit: NASA
Inside the Zvezda service module on the International Space Station, space shuttle Atlantis and station crew members take a break from an extremely busy work agenda for photos and a social period. Not much time remains for such reunions, as undocking and separation activities are scheduled for a little over 48 hours from the time this photo was made on July 16, 2011, Flight Day 9. The STS-135 crew consists of Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim; the Expedition 28 or station crew members are JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, NASA astronauts Ron Garan and Mike Fossum, and Russian cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko, Alexander Samokutyaev and Sergei Volkov.
4 of 32
Looking out the Cupola
Credit: NASA
This photo showing Magnus, a NASA astronaut with the Space Shuttle Program's final flight, taking advantage of the zero gravity of space and the panoramic view provided by the multi-windowed Cupola on flight day 9 of the STS-135 mission, July 16, 2011.
5 of 32
Table for Seven
Credit: NASA
Seven astronauts — six from NASA and one from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) — and three Russian cosmonauts participate on July 14, 2011 in a special meal on the Space Shuttle Atlantis' middeck. One of the final meals shared between shuttle and station crews has been called "The All-American Meal." The STS-135 crew consists of NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, Doug Hurley, Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim; the Expedition 28 or station crew members are JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, NASA astronauts Ron Garan and Mike Fossum, and Russian cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko, Alexander Samokutyaev and Sergei Volkov.
6 of 32
The Southern Lights as Seen from the International Space Station
Credit: NASA
This panoramic view from the International Space Station, looking past the docked shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay and part of the station including a solar array panel toward Earth, was taken on July 14, 2011 as the spacecraft passed over the Southern Hemisphere. Aurora Australis or the Southern Lights can be seen on Earth's horizon and a number of stars are visible also.
7 of 32
Southern Lights Seen from Space
Credit: NASA
One of the STS-135 Atlantis crewmembers took this photo of the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis while visiting the International Space Station on July 14, 2011. Part of the orbiter boom sensor system (OBSS) is seen, as it was attached on the end of the shuttle's robotic arm (out of frame). A part of the port side wing of the shuttle is at right and a solar panel for the station is at left edge.
8 of 32
The Shuttle Program's Final Spacewalk
Credit: NASA
Spacewalker Ron Garan rides on the International Space Station's robotic arm as he transfers a failed pump module to the cargo bay of space shuttle Atlantis. Garan and fellow Expedition 28 astronaut Mike Fossum wrapped up a six-hour, 31-minute spacewalk Tuesday afternoon, performing upgrades and maintenance on the orbiting outpost. It's the final scheduled spacewalk during a shuttle mission.
9 of 32
Standing on Top of the World!
Credit: Ron Garan (via Twitter as @Astro_Ron)
Astronaut Ron Garan tweeted this image and said: "Standing On Top of the World! Px @Astro_Aggie took of me yesterday duirng our spacewalk Nice view of Persian Gulf."
10 of 32
ISS as Seen by a Spacewalker
Credit: Ron Garan (via Twitter as @Astro_Ron)
Astronaut Ron Garan tweeted this image of the International Space Station taken during his spacewalk: "Px I took #FromSpace yesterday during our spacewalk Shows #ISS from front-back, from #Atlantis to #Progress #NASA"
11 of 32
Suiting up for Spacewalk
Credit: NASA TV
NASA astronauts Mike Fossum is seen suiting up for a July 11, 2011 spacewalk, the last spacewalk of the space shuttle era, to work outside the International Space Station during the final shuttle mission STS-135 aboard Atlantis.
12 of 32
Soaring Through a Space Locker
Credit: NASA
NASA astronaut Sandy Magnus flies through the Rafaello module, filled to the brim with supplies, during the last space shuttle mission (STS-135) to the International Space Station.
13 of 32
Atlantis' Orbiter Boom Sensor System
Credit: NASA
Space shuttle Atlantis floats serenely above the Earth in this image taken by one of the crew members from the aft flight deck during the mission's second day of activities in Earth orbit. Earth's horizon and aft sections of the shuttle are visible, while the orbiter boom sensor system (OBSS) sits on the starboard side of the spacecraft shortly before the OBSS was remotely maneuvered into position to start survey of the spacecraft's thermal protection system (TPS). The OBSS later checked for damage caused by ascent debris or anything that might endanger the shuttle's ability to return to Earth safely.
14 of 32
Atlantis and the Deep Blue Sea
Credit: NASA
The space shuttle Atlantis is seen over the Bahamas prior to a perfect docking with the International Space Station at 11:07 a.m. (EDT) on July 10, 2011 on Flight Day 3 of NASA's last shuttle flight. Part of a Russian Progress spacecraft which is docked to the station is in the foreground.
15 of 32
Atlantis Docked to Harmony Module of ISS
Credit: NASA TV
A camera on the International Space Station snapped this view of the shuttle Atlantis docked to the orbiting lab's Harmony module on July 10, 2011, Flight Day 3 of NASA's final shuttle mission STS-135.
16 of 32
Checking out the Supplies
Credit: NASA
On July 8, 2011, Flight Day 1, NASA astronauts Rex Walheim (facing camera), mission specialist, and Doug Hurley, pilot, survey just a portion of the large "inventory" of supplies aboard the space shuttle Atlantis on route to the International Space Station.
17 of 32
International Space Station Photographed from the Space Shuttle Atlantis
Credit: NASA
This is one of a series of images showing the International Space Station photographed by a crewmember onboard the space shuttle Atlantis as the two spacecraft performed rendezvous and docking operations on the STS-135 mission's third day in Earth orbit, July 9, 2011, Flight Day 3..
18 of 32
Atlantis' Crew Hugs ISS Crew
Credit: NASA TV
With hugs and broad smiles, the last crew of space shuttle Atlantis is welcomed aboard the International Space Station on July 10, 2011, Flight Day 3, during NASA's final shuttle mission STS-135.
19 of 32
Magnus Takes a Break on the Middeck
Credit: NASA
NASA astronaut Sandy Magnus, STS-135 mission specialist, is pictured on the middeck deck of the space shuttle Atlantis during a brief break in the flight's second day of activities in Earth orbit.
20 of 32
Atlantis and Payload in Earth Orbit
Credit: NASA
On Flight Day 3, a nadir view of the space shuttle Atlantis and its payload was provided by one of a series of images showing various parts of the shuttle 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 International Space Station. The series was photographed by one of three crewmembers -- half the station crew -- who were equipped with still cameras on the orbiting outpost as the shuttle "posed" for photos and visual surveys and performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). A 400 millimeter lens was used to capture this particular series of images.
21 of 32
Atlantis and Raffaello Multi-purpose Logistics Module Backdropped by Earth,
Credit: NASA
Backdropped against a mostly blue Earth scene, part of the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station, the vertical stabilizer of space shuttle Atlantis and the orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods are seen in this view photographed by one of the STS-135 crewmembers using windows on the spacecraft's aft flight deck during the mission's second day of activities in Earth orbit, July 9, 2011, Flight Day 2.
22 of 32
View from the Window
Credit: NASA
A window on space shuttle Atlantis' aft flight deck frames this scene featuring the Atlantic Ocean/Tropic of Cancer area south of Florida, including some of the 2700 islands that constitute the Bahamas, on Flight Day 1.
23 of 32
Walheim Speaks
Credit: NASA TV
Atlantis astronaut Rex Walheim speaks with Mission Control during a standard heat shield inpection of the shuttle's wing edges and nose cap on July 9, 2011, Flight Day 2 of NASA's final shuttle mission STS-135.
24 of 32
Crew on the Flight Deck of Atlantis
Credit: NASA
NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, left, and Doug Hurley are pictured at the commander's station and pilot's station, respectively, on the flight deck of the space shuttle Atlantis during the mission's second day of activities in Earth orbit.
25 of 32
Commander on the Flight Deck
Credit: NASA
On July 8, 2011, Flight Day 1, NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson, STS-135 commander, pilot, is pictured at the commander's station on the flight deck of the space shuttle Atlantis during the mission's initial day of activities in Earth orbit.
26 of 32
Shuttle Atlantis Liftoff Seen From Air
Credit: NASA/Dick Clark
Space shuttle Atlantis is seen through the window of a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) as it launches from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on the STS-135 mission, July 8, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the final shuttle mission.
27 of 32
Watching Atlantis Launch
Credit: Roger Guillemette for SPACE.com
Spectators in the foreground watch as Atlantis launches on its final flight, July 8, 2011.
28 of 32
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.
29 of 32
Last Shuttle Crew Waves Farewell
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Dressed in their bright-orange launch-and-entry suits, the final four astronauts to launch aboard a space shuttle wave to media and employees cheering them on in front of the Astronaut Crew Quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 8, 2011. From left, are STS-135 Mission Specialists Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Commander Chris Ferguson.
30 of 32
STS-135 Patch
Credit: NASA
STS-135 patch.
31 of 32
Bright Lights, Last Space Shuttle
Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its bright-orange external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, is bathed in xenon lights and takes center stage on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in this aerial image taken from a NASA helicopter in the predawn hours just before launch on July 8, 2011.
32 of 32
Close-out Crews Shares Message Before Last Launch
Credit: NASA TV
A member of the shuttle Atlantis' close-out crew shares a message before the shuttle's last launch.
