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Atlantis completes the final space shuttle mission Atlantis and its crew of four astronauts successfully landed Thursday morning, completing the last mission of NASA’s 30-year-old space shuttle program.
July 21, 2011
Atlantis is towed from the landing site to the Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
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July 21, 2011
NASA employees were given a close-up view of the shuttle at a special event.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden talked with reporters on the tarmac just yards from the shuttle Atlantis. "I'm very proud of the program,'' he said, "but this era is over now."
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
Army Staff Sgt. Chris Grilo, who served three tours in Iraq, was a special guest invited for the landing, along with Frankie, his service dog.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
Members of NASA's support staff survey Atlantis after its return.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
A worker holds up a sign noting the end of the shuttle program next to the nose of Atlantis.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
Atlantis will go on display at Kennedy Space Center.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
The mood was a bit somber as NASA support staff rolled up a commemorative banner that had been used as a backdrop for photos taken in front of Atlantis.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
Jim Graham, a heavy-equipment operator for the shuttle, waits for instructions on the runway. "I don't know what I'm going to do right now,'' said Graham, who is being laid off. "I guess I'm going to ride my bike more and keep busy."
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
NASA employees sign a banner to commemorate the landing of the last shuttle.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
Contractor Estelle Crisafulli gets her photo taken against a backdrop featuring the shuttle's crew. Crisafulli, who has worked with NASA programs for 32 years, is being laid off. "My future is very uncertain right now," she says.
July 21, 2011
After the touchdown of Atlantis, special guests leave the landing area via bus. Most had not slept the entire night.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
Space shuttle Atlantis lands just before 6 a.m. Thursday at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. The landing marks the end of NASA's 30-year space shuttle program.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 21, 2011
Johnson Space Center employees Shelley Stortz and Jeremy Rea of Houston watch Atlantis land.
David J. Phillip
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AP
July 21, 2011
People gather inside the Johnson Space Center's mission control in Houston to say their farewells and commemorate the end of the space shuttle program in Florida.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 21, 2011
Johnson Space Center Director Michael Coats, left, is presented the Atlantis mission flag by Andrew Kohlmeyer in Houston after the space shuttle landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
David J. Phillip
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AP
July 21, 2011
Shuttle commander Chris Ferguson, right, shakes hands with pilot Doug Hurley after landing Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center as mission specialist Rex Walheim, left, and Sandra Mangus look on.
Scott Audette
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AP
July 21, 2011
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden speaks to the media after the space shuttle Atlantis landed.
Win McNamee
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Getty Images
July 21, 2011
NASA workers pose next to the shuttle Atlantis after it landed at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
Win McNamee
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Getty Images
July 19, 2011
Space shuttle Atlantis departs the international space station. Atlantis's return to Earth, scheduled for Thursday, will conclude NASA's 30-year-old space shuttle program.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 19, 2011
The international space station is seen through the docking port of the space shuttle Atlantis as it departs the station. The mission is the last of a 12-year program to build and service the orbital outpost, the primary legacy of NASA's shuttle fleet.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 18, 2011
Astronaut Mike Fossum carries a Robotics Refueling Mission payload from Atlantis's cargo bay to a platform used by the space station's famous robot Dextre. On the far left, Dextre prepares to help move a failed space pump back to Atlantis. Visible behind the astronaut is the space station's Kibo Experimental Module.
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AFP/Getty Images
July 15, 2011
Space shuttle Atlantis astronauts from left to right, Commander Chris Ferguson, Rex Walheim, Sandy Mangus and Pilot Doug Hurley wave during a news conference from the international space station.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 18, 2011
Space shuttle Atlantis and international space station crew members bid each other farewell as the hatches between the two spacecraft close for undocking.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 16, 2011
Astronaut Sandy Magnus, a mission specialist for space shuttle Atlantis STS-135, takes in the view while sitting in the international space station. Space shuttle Atlantis is on the last leg of a 12-day mission to the International Space Station where it delivered the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts. This was the final mission of NASA's space shuttle program.
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July 12, 2011
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, left, and shuttle Atlantis Commander Chris Ferguson, right, help International Space Station Flight Engineer Mike Fossum prepare for his spacewalk.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 12, 2011
NASA astronaut Ronald Garan, left, installs a foot restraint on the Canada Arm 2, as he and astronaut Michael Fossum, bottom right, do repairs on the international space station during a planned 6.5-hour spacewalk. This is the 160th spacewalk devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998. Space shuttle Atlantis has embarked on a 12-day mission to the international space station where it will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts.
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July 12, 2011
Astronaut Mike Fossum works outside the international space station during his spacewalk.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 12, 2011
NASA astronaut Ronald Garan moves a failed ammonia pump module from a storage platform on the international space station to the cargo bay of the space shuttle Atlantis during a spacewalk.
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July 12, 2011
Astronaut Ron Garan, center, holds the pump module while being assisted by fellow spacewalker Mike Fossum, right, as the pair secure the module in Atlantis's payload bay for its return to Earth.
NASA TV
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Reuters
July 10, .2011
The space shuttle Atlantis glides over the Bahamas prior to a perfect docking with the international space station.
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AP
July 10, 2011
Atlantis docks with the international space station. The shuttle is delivering a year's worth of supplies to the station. The linkup is the last for the shuttle program.
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via Reuters
July 9, 2011
Astronaut Rex Walheim looks through a window on the Atlantis on the second day of activity in space.
NASA
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via Getty Images
July 9, 2011
The southernmost part of Italy is seen from Atlantis.
NASA
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via Getty Images
July 8, 2011
Caleb Connell, 6, of South Carolina, tosses an inflatable shuttle toy to his grandfather as they wait for the launch in Space View Park in Titusville, Fla.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
The space shuttle Atlantis separates from the external fuel tank shortly after Friday morning's launch.
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July 8, 2011
The space shuttle Atlantis leaves a trail behind it in the clouds over Cape Canaveral.
Reinhold Matay
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AP
July 8, 2011
The space shuttle Atlantis roars into space over Cape Canaveral.
Dick Clark
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AP
July 8, 2011
The space shuttle Atlantis pulls away from the Earth.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
Spectators of all ages watch the space shuttle Atlantis head into space. People gathered at Space View Park in Titusville, Fla., to witness the launch, as astronauts embarked on the last mission of NASA's space shuttle program.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
The crowd in Space View Park finally hears the delayed roar of the space shuttle, well after it disappeared into the clouds.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
From left, Tanya Horgan, holding her 9-month-old son, Michael, is overcome as she watches the shuttle launch from Space View Park. Her husband, Denis Horgan, is clapping at right.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
Roger Tribbe of Lakeland, Fla., is rigged with an antenna on his hat so he can follow shuttle news on his laptop.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
Makenna Hine, 5, takes in the last moments of the launch after the vehicle disappeared into the clouds from atop the shoulders of her dad, Lyman, in Space View Park.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
Thousands crowded the causeway bridge in Titusville, Fla., to view the shuttle launch.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
Thousands gathered at Space View Park to witness the last shuttle launch.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
Spectators were willing to risk sinking in the muddy shore to watch the space shuttle Atlantis lift off for the last time.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 8, 2011
Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach waves the Atlantis flag as he enters the press site auditorium following the launch of space shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.
John Raoux
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AP
July 8, 2011
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, far right, and other management look on from Firing Room Four of the Launch Control Center as the space shuttle Atlantis lifts off in Cape Canaveral.
Bill Ingalls
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NASA via Getty Images
July 8, 2011
The space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
John Raoux
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AP
July 8, 2011
Atlantis is the 135th and final space shuttle launch for NASA.
Chris O'Meara
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AP
July 8, 2011
Atlantis is on a 12-day mission to the international space station.
Morry Gash
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AP
July 8, 2011
From left to right, space shuttle Atlantis STS-135 Pilot Douglas Hurley, Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus, Commander Christopher Ferguson and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim walk out of the NASA Operations and Checkout building hours before their scheduled launch at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Bad weather conditions threaten Atlantis's scheduled launch today on a 12-day mission to the International Space Station, the 135th and final NASA space shuttle launch that marks the end of the 30-year-old NASA space shuttle program.
Chip Somodevilla
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Getty Iamges
July 8, 2011
Jim Block, from Ohio, looks through his camera at space shuttle Atlantis as it sits on the launch pad in Titusville, Fla.
David J. Phillip
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AP
July 8, 2011
Zak Campbell, right, from San Diego, and his son, Elijah, sleep while awaiting the launch of space shuttle Atlantis. It's the Campbell's first time attending a shuttle launch, and also their last, as Friday's launch marks the final mission of NASA's 30-year shuttle program.
Win McNamee
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Getty Images
Jul;y 8, 2011
From left to right, space shuttle Atlantis STS-135 Mission Specialists Rex Walheim and Sandra Magnus, Pilot Douglas Hurley and Commander Christopher Ferguson stop and pose for photographs before boarding the Astrovan and heading to the launch pad for their scheduled blastoff at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
Chip Somodevilla
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Getty Images
July 8, 2011
Spectators wave as the "Astrovan" carrying the space shuttle astronauts makes its way to the launchpad.
Win McNamee
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Getty Images
July 8, 2011
People buy T-shirts commemorating the final space shuttle launch while waiting for the liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis in Titusville, Fla.
Gerry Broome
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AP
July 8, 2011
Holly Seales and Hanna Seales from Dothan, Ala., sleep in their chairs as they wait to watch the launch of space shuttle Atlantis in Titusville, Fla. Weather permitting, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off today for a mission to the space station. An estimated 1 million people may show up to watch the launch.
Joe Raedle
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Getty Images
July 7, 2011
In this image provided by NASA, the space shuttle Atlantis is seen shortly after the rotating service structure was rolled back at launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. NASA decided to start the fueling operations early Friday morning.
Bill Ingalls
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AP
July 7, 2011
Space shuttle Atlantis stands on launch pad 39A one day before its scheduled launch at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Bad weather threatens Atlantis's launch, which will mark the final liftoff in the 30-year-old space shuttle program.
Chip Somodevilla
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Getty Images
July 7, 2011
Freddy Porter, 5, of Raleigh, N.C., plays with a toy space shuttle in the Rocket Garden of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex near Cape Canaveral. Porter, visiting with family, was hoping to witness his first launch as space shuttle Atlantis, carrying a crew of four and food and other supplies critical for the international space station, is set to vault into orbit on Friday. Bad weather may delay the launch, however.
Hans Deryk
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Reuters
July 7, 2011
Clayton Kimsal, 10, from White Haven, Pa., worried that the shuttle liftoff would be postponed by the rain. His dad assured him later that they would stay as long as it took to see the final launch.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 7, 2011
Kate Frederick bears the rain with her father, Brian, who is 45 and has wanted to see a liftoff since he was 18.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 7, 2011
People wait for the launch on the pier at Space View Park.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 7, 2011
Ian Griswold of Atlanta checks the latest weather report on his laptop in his plastic-covered truck bed. He says he'll be there, sleeping in the truck, until the launch.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 7, 2011
Johannes Nordangard of Sweden, foreground, and Benjamin Larsen of Denmark pass time in Space View Park in Titusville, Fla., the day before the scheduled launch of the space shuttle Atlantis.
Michael S. Williamson
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The Washington Post
July 7, 2011
Terry Davenport, left, from Orlando, and his children, Dominique and Antoine, relax in their tent shelter as they camp out to watch the launch of space shuttle Atlantis in Cape Canaveral. The Davenport family arrived a day early to get a good spot to watch the launch. An estimated 1 million people may join them for the event, which marks the end of NASA's 30-year space shuttle program.
Joe Raedle
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Getty Images
July 7, 2011
Members of the 103rd Pararescue Squadron practice removing the helmet of an astronaut flight suit during a briefing in the build-up to the final planned launch of the space shuttle Atlantis at Patrick Air Force Base, in Brevard County, Fla.
John Minchillo
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AP
July 4, 2011
The STS-135 crew flies over the shuttle landing facilty before arriving at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Atlantis and its crew of four astronauts is scheduled to lift off Friday morning on a 12-day mission to the international space station.
Chris O'Meara
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AP
July 4, 2011
A shuttle landing facility ground crew member uses U.S. flags to direct the STS-135 crew as they arrive at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Friday's launch will bring an end to the shuttle program.
Chris O'Meara
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AP
July 4, 2011
STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley carries his luggage as he climbs out of a T-38 jet after arriving with the rest of the space shuttle crew at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
Terry Renna
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AP
July 4, 2011
STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson climbs out of a T-38 jet after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center with his fellow crew members in Cape Canaveral.
Terry Renna
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AP
July 4, 2011
STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, left, looks on as fellow crew members, from left, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim wave American flags after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center.
Chris O'Meara
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AP
July 4, 2011
An armed Kennedy Space Center SWAT team member stands guard as members of the STS-135 crew arrive at the shuttle landing facility in Cape Canaveral.
Chris O'Meara
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AP
July 4, 2011
Two T-38 jets carrying the space shuttle Atlantis crew arrive at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral in advance of the July 8 launch of STS-135, the final flight of the shuttle program.
Stan Honda
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AFP/Getty Images
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