
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is towed along a two-mile tow-way to the Orbiter Processing Facility, or OPF, where processing Atlantis for another flight will take place. Towing normally begins within four hours after landing and is completed within six hours unless removal of time-sensitive experiments is required on the runway. In the OPF, turnaround processing procedures on Atlantis will include various post-flight deservicing and maintenance functions, which are carried out in parallel with payload removal and the installation of equipment needed for the next mission. After a round trip of nearly 5.3 million miles, Atlantis and crew returned to Earth with a landing at 9:07 a.m. EST to complete the STS-122 mission. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
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NASA ID
KSC-08pd0428
Date Created
February 20, 2008
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
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STS-36 Atlantis, OV-104, leaves VAB during its rollout to KSC LC Pad 39A
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STS-37 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, lifts off from KSC LC Pad
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