International Space Station, Atlantis Space Shuttle | 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.

In the final move of its kind, NASA's space shuttle Atlantis was photographed earlier this month slowly advancing toward Launch Pad 39A, where it is currently scheduled for a July launch to the International Space Station. The mission, designated STS-135, is the 135th and last mission for a NASA space shuttle. Atlantis and its four-person crew will be carrying, among other things, the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello to bring key components and supplies to the ISS.

The space shuttle Atlantis made its last scheduled departure from the International Space Station on Sunday.

Space shuttle Atlantis thundered off its launchpad at Kennedy Space Center into cloudless skies Friday afternoon and headed to the International Space Station on the 32nd and final planned mission of its 25-year career.