KSC-2011-3679

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Shuttle Atlantis is parked in the transfer aisle in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A large yellow sling device (foreground) will be used to lift Atlantis into a high bay for joining to the solid rocket boosters and external tank already installed on a mobile launcher platform. The move called "rollover" is a major milestone in processing for the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are expected to launch mid July, taking with them the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing spacecraft and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller