Last Towback of a Flight Worthy Space Shuttle – Atlantis Post Touchdown Photo Album

Remember when there was a Space Shuttle
Atlantis flew the final flight of NASA’s Space Shuttle Era on the STS-135 mission and was the last flight worthy orbiter to be towed back from the Shuttle Landing Facility. Atlantis touched down on July 21, 2011 at the Kennedy Space Center. Credit: Ken Kremer

Space Shuttle Atlantis closed out NASA’s Space Shuttle Era with a safe touchdown on July 21, 2011 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at the conclusion of the STS-135 mission, the 135th and final shuttle mission.

I was extremely fortunate to be an eyewitness to history and one of the lucky few journalists permitted by NASA to follow along as Atlantis took her historic final journey back from wheels stop at Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility as a flight worthy orbiter.

A convoy of 25 specialized vehicles safe each orbiter after landing. Some four hours later, Atlantis was towed off the runway with a diesel powered tractor for about 2 miles along the tow way leading to the Orbiter Processing Facility which lies adjacent to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at KSC.

The STS-135 crew consisted of Shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim.

Check out my Towback Photo Album below, and prior album from wheels stop at the shuttle runway earlier in the day, here:

Atlantis towed nose first from runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at KSC.
Credit: Ken Kremer (kenkremer.com)

Atlantis towback from shuttle landing strip on July 21, 2011. Credit: Ken Kremer

Atlantis and post landing convoy vehicles. Credit: Ken Kremer

Impressionistic Atlantis. Credit: Ken Kremer

Convoy of 25 specialized vehicles tow Atlantis from the runway to the Orbiter Processing Facility.
Credit: Ken Kremer

Convoy crew waves to media. Credit: Ken Kremer

Convoy of 25 specialized vehicles tow Atlantis two miles along tow way from the runway to the Orbiter Processing Facility. Credit: Ken Kremer

Atlantis heads to the Orbiter Processing Facility adjacent to Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC.
Credit: Ken Kremer

Read my features about the Final Shuttle mission, STS-135:
Wheels Stop ! With Awesome Atlantis on the Shuttle Runway – Photo Gallery Part 1
Ghostly Landing of Atlantis Closes America’s Space Shuttle Era Forever
Love of Science Drives Last Shuttle Commander – Chris Ferguson Brings Science Museum to Orbit
Revolutionary Robotic Refueling Experiment Opens New Research Avenues at Space Station
Water Cannon Salute trumpets recovery of Last Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters – Photo Album
Shuttle Atlantis Soars to Space One Last time: Photo Album
Atlantis Unveiled for Historic Final Flight amidst Stormy Weather
Counting down to the Last Shuttle; Stormy weather projected
Atlantis Crew Jets to Florida on Independence Day for Final Shuttle Blastoff
NASA Sets July 8 for Mandatory Space Shuttle Grand Finale
Final Shuttle Voyagers Conduct Countdown Practice at Florida Launch Pad
Final Payload for Final Shuttle Flight Delivered to the Launch Pad
Last Ever Shuttle Journeys out to the Launch Pad; Photo Gallery
Atlantis Goes Vertical for the Last Time
Atlantis Rolls to Vehicle Assembly Building with Final Space Shuttle Crew for July 8 Blastoff

Tagged as: chris ferguson, international space station, ISS, NASA, Space Shuttle, space shuttle atlantis, STS-135

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3-D Atlantis in Flight

A 3-D view of Atlantis during the RBAR pitch maneuver while approaching the space station. Credit: NASA, 3-D by Nathanial Burton-Bradford. Click for larger view on Flickr.

Time to grab your 3-D glasses (the red/cyan kind, please) and see a couple of 3-D views of Atlantis during her final flight. Above, she’s doing the belly flip, the RBAR pitch maneuver while approaching the station, and 3-D wizard Nathanial Burton-Bradford has 3-D-ified the view. Below is a 3-D look at Atlantis’ launch. Thanks to Nathanial for sharing his images with Universe Today. See his Flickr page for more!

Atlantis' final launch on July 8, 2011. Credit: NASA, 3-D by Nathanial Burton-Bradford. Click for larger view on Flickr.

Tagged as: Space Flight, Space Shuttle, space shuttle atlantis, STS-135

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Atlantis Unveiled for Historic Final Flight amidst Stormy Weather

Atlantis awaits blastoff on STS-135 Mission.

Credit: Ken Kremer
Video below of Lightning Strike near Shuttle Launch Pad

The last Space Shuttle in history that will blast off for space was unveiled today at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida amidst terrible weather. Heavy rain showers and thunderstorms are inundating the space center during prelaunch preparations for the blast off of Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Two lightning strikes occurred within about a third of a mile of Launch Pad 39 at 12:31 p.m. and 12:40 p.m. EDT. After engineering teams evaluated data from the strikes, NASA shuttle managers decided it was safe to proceed with launch preparations.

Following about a 40 minute delay, Atlantis was unveiled for liftoff after retraction of the massive rotating service structure which protects the orbiter from inclement weather and impacts from foreign object debris.

IMG_9164a_STS 135_Ken Kremer

The chances of favorable weather for launch of the STS-135 mission on Friday July 8 are just 30%, meaning 70% NO GO said Shuttle Weather officer Kathy Winters at a briefing for reporters today at KSC. Liftoff is targeted for 11:26 a.m. EDT.

NASA has a narrow window of three opportunities on July 8, 9 and 10 and must then stand down for nearly a week because the US Air Force has scheduled a Delta rocket launch on July 14. If the Air Force would agree to delay the Delta by few days, NASA could launch Atlantis on Monday or Tuesday in case for further launch delays.

Upwards of 750,000 spectators are expected.

Atlantis goal is deliver the Raffaello logistics module and the Robotic Refueling Mission to the ISS on a 12 day mission that will end the shuttle era.

Atlantis poised on for the final time on Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Credit: Ken Kremer

Closeup of the White Room leading to the crew cabin. Credit: Ken Kremer

Video of Lightning Strike near Shuttle Launch Pad

Tagged as: International Space Station (ISS), ISS, NASA, Space Shuttle, space shuttle atlantis, STS-135

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Final Payload for Final Shuttle Flight Delivered to the Launch Pad

Space Shuttle Atlantis and cargo canister at Launch Pad 39A for Final Shuttle Flight
This view shows the delivery of the cargo canister – white rectangular box - with the payloads for the last shuttle mission; STS-135. The canister has been hoisted up the Rotating Service Structure, at right, for installation into the orbiters payload bay. Credit: Ken Kremer
Updated Photo Album below

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – The cargo canister for NASA’s final space shuttle mission was delivered to the sea-side launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida and hoisted up the pads massive launch pad gantry early Friday (June 17).

NASA is targeting a July 8 blastoff of the STS-135 mission with Space Shuttle Atlantis and the last cargo a shuttle will ever haul to space. The 60 foot long cargo canister is the size of a shuttle payload bay.

The STS-135 mission is the very final flight of the three decade long Space Shuttle Era and is slated for liftoff at 11:26 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A. The flight is scheduled to last 12 days and will be NASA’s 36th and last shuttle mission bound for the International Space Station (ISS).

Atlantis will deliver the Italian- built “Raffaello” logistics module to the orbiting outpost.

Raffaello is loaded full with about 5 tons of critical space parts, crew supplies and experiments to sustain space station operations once the shuttles are retired at the conclusion of the STS-135 mission, according to Joe Delai, NASA’s Payload Processing Manager for the STS-135 mission.

Close up of top of shuttle Atlantis stack at Launch Pad 39 A
Astronauts will walk through the White Room at left to enter Atlantis crew cabin. Credit: Ken Kremer

NASA technicians at the launch pad have closed the cocoon-like Rotating Service Structure (RSS) back around the orbiter to gain access to the vehicles payload bay. Atlantis’ payload bay doors will be opened Saturday night and the cargo will be installed into the shuttle’s cargo bay on Monday (June 20).

The secondary payload is dubbed the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) – a sort of “gas station in space” said Delai, who spoke to me at Pad 39A.

Joe Delai, NASA STS-135 Payload Processing manager, answers media queries at Launch Pad 39A. Credit: Ken Kremer

Pad workers were also busy on Saturday (June 18) with work to begin the collection of high resolution X-ray scans of Atlantis External Tank at certain support ribs on the shuttle facing side, according to Allard Beutel, a NASA KSC shuttle spokesman.

“The technicians will scan the tops and bottoms of 50 support beams, called stringers, to confirm that there are no issues following the tanking test conducted by NASA this week at the launch pad”, Beutel said.

The reinforcing stringers were installed after minute cracks were discovered during the propellant loading of 535,000 gallons of super cold liquid oxygen and hydrogen into the fuel tank during the initial launch attempt of the STS-133 mission in November 2010. “No problems are expected and this work is just being done as a precautionary measure.”

Space Shuttle Atlantis sits atop Launch Complex 39 A at Sunrise at the Kennedy Space Center
The last ever shuttle flight will blast off on July 8. Credit: Ken Kremer

During the tanking test, a potential fuel leak was discovered in a hydrogen fuel valve in Space Shuttle Main Engine No. 3, the right most engine.

“Technicians will spend the next week swapping out the engine valve with a new one and conduct tests to verify the fix solved the problem,” Buetel told me. “NASA expects the work can be completed with no delay to the July 8 launch.”

Space Shuttle Atlantis is set to blastoff on July 8 on NASA’s Final Shuttle Mission; STS-135. Credit: Ken Kremer

The engine leak would have been a show stopper and scrubbed the launch if this had been the real countdown on July 8, said Beutel – to the huge disappointment of the 500,000 to 750,000 folks expected to pack the Florida Space Coast.

The hydrogen valve replacement and X-Ray scans are being completed in parallel out at the pad.

The STS-135 crew of four veteran shuttle astronauts is led by Shuttle Commander Christopher Ferguson. Also aboard are Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.

The crew will fly to into the Kennedy Space Center from Houston aboard their T-38 jets on Monday for several days of pre-launch training.

I will be covering the STS-135 launch for Universe Today on site at the KSC Press site, location of the world famous countdown clock.

Ken Kremer and Space Shuttle Atlantis on top of Launch Pad 39A. Credit: Ken Kremer

Read my prior features about the Final Shuttle mission, STS-135, here:
Last Ever Shuttle Journeys out to the Launch Pad; Photo Gallery
Atlantis Goes Vertical for the Last Time
Atlantis Rolls to Vehicle Assembly Building with Final Space Shuttle Crew for July 8 Blastoff

Tagged as: End of the shuttle program, ISS, NASA, Raffaello, Space Shuttle, space shuttle atlantis, space shuttle program, STS-135

View the original article here