Brenda Culbertson, a friend of Astronomy magazine, has been at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for 3 weeks to cover the final launch of space shuttle Endeavour. She’s now returning return home to Kansas, but not before she captured photos of one more key shuttle program event.
On May 17, a ground crew at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center transported space shuttle Atlantis to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), where it will be prepared for its final launch. // All photos by Brenda Culbertson
On the morning of May 17, 2011, NASA ceremoniously completed the last orbiter rollover. Space shuttle
Atlantis was slowly rolled out of the building where it has been awaiting its final launch and brought to to the Vehicle Assembly Building. The shuttle was escorted by the ground crew as well as the STS-135 crew.
With Endeavour in orbit, one ground crew keeps track of it and the STS-134 mission while another ground crew prepares Atlantis for its turn in space and in history. The anticipated launch of Atlantis is mid-July, but many factors can change a launch date, as we well know, so no specific launch date has been announced.
After Atlantis completes its final mission, it will remain on display at Kennedy Space Center.
STS-135 shuttle crew, (from left) Commander Christopher J. Ferguson, Pilot Douglas G. Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandra H. Magnus and Rex J. Walheim, escorted Atlantis on its ceremonious trip to the VAB.
Successful launch of space shuttle Endeavour
Tour of Kennedy Space Center buildings
STS-134 nears launch date (again)
Witnessing an Atlas V launch
STS-134 — the last mission of space shuttle Endeavour