Space Shuttle, Space Program | featured news

In a flight full of passion, Atlantis made the final docking in shuttle history Sunday, pulling up at the International Space Station with a year’s worth of supplies. The station’s naval bell chimed a salute as Atlantis docked 240 miles above the Pacific. “Atlantis arriving,” called out space station astronaut Ronald Garan Jr. “Welcome to the International Space Station for the last time.”

Though thunderstorms threatened, Atlantis was launched for NASA’s 135th and final shuttle flight, bound for the International Space Station with four astronauts.

NBC News’ Jay Barbree narrates a rare time-lapse video of the shuttle Atlantis being prepared for its final mission.

When the United States embarked on its shuttle program decades ago, it set out to build a workhorse vehicle that would make space travel routine and beat the Soviets during the Cold War struggle for dominance in space.