NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis detaches from the International Space Station on the final mission of the shuttle series

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This picture of the space shuttle Atlantis was photographed from the International Space Station as the orbiting complex and the shuttle performed their relative separation in the early hours of July 19, 2011. The Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, which transported tons of supplies to the complex, can be seen in the cargo bay. It is filled with different materials from the station for return to Earth. Onboard the station were Russian cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko, Expedition 28 commander; Sergei Volkov and Alexander Samokutyaev, both flight engineers; Japan Aerospace Exploration astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and NASA astronauts Mike Fossum and Ron Garan, all flight engineers. Onboard the shuttle were NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, STS-135 commander; Doug Hurley, pilot; Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, both mission specialists.

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Size: 3426px × 5150px
Location: International Space Station
Photo credit: © NASA Photo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: america, astronauts, atlantis, crew, detaches, disembarks, era, exploration, final, flight, horizontal, iss, manned, mission, nasa, portrait, science, shuttle, space, station, sts-135, technology, usa