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Shuttle Atlantis - last launch

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.

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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  • The space shuttle Atlantis rolls out to Launch Pad 39A in preparation for its final launch in July.
  • 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.
  • Bright xenon lights flare while space shuttle Atlantis rolls down a 3.4-mile stretch of river rocks, as the vehicle embarks on its historic final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 31, 2011.
  • Space shuttle Atlantis makes its historic final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 31, 2011. The flags of the United States and shuttle Endeavour appear in the foreground.
  • 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.
  • Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters atop a mobile launcher platform, slowly inches out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for the final time, on May 31, 2011.
  • 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.
  • 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. Launch of Atlantis on the STS-135 mission is scheduled for mid-July.
  • Space shuttle Atlantis rolls over to the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 17, 2011. Atlantis is slated to fly the last mission of the space shuttle program, STS-135, in July.
  • In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an overhead crane slowly lifts shuttle Atlantis off its transporter. NASA plans to launch Atlantis on the final space shuttle mission, STS-135, in mid-July.
  • In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shuttle Atlantis is lifted by an overhead crane and moved into a high bay where it will be attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters which are already on the mobile launcher platform. NASA plans to launch Atlantis on the STS-135 mission in mid-July 2011.
  • Only the nose of space shuttle Atlantis is visible in this photo, with the top portions of the external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters. The assembled vehicle sits atop a mobile launcher platform, awaiting its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 31, 2011.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a worker monitors the progress of shuttle Atlantis as it is lowered onto the mobile launcher platform where it will be joined with its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters.
  • Thousands of spectators watch as space shuttle Atlantis makes its final debut outside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 31, 2011.
  • Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana and Vehicle Integration Test Office and former NASA astronaut Jerry Ross walk past an honor guard at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to participate in a U.S. Honor Flag presentation ceremony. The flag will be presented to NASA to be prepared to fly aboard space shuttle Atlantis on the Space Shuttle Program's final mission, STS-135.
  • President Barack Obama holds hands with his daughter Malia as they walk under the space shuttle Atlantis with First Lady Michelle Obama, Sasha, and Marian Robinson during a tour of NASA Orbital Processing Facility. Astronaut Janet Kavandi and United Space Alliance project lead for thermal protection systems Terry White, right, lead the tour at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, April 29, 2011.
  • President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Malia, left, Sasha, Marian Robinson, Astronaut Janet Kavandi and United Space Alliance project lead for thermal protection systems Terry White study the exterior of space shuttle Atlantis during a visit to Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, April 29, 2011.

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