KSC-2011-5203

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dressed in their bright-orange launch-and-entry suits, the final four astronauts to launch aboard a space shuttle exit the Astronaut Crew Quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the left row, STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley is followed by Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus. In the right row, Commander Chris Ferguson is followed by Mission Specialist Rex Walheim. The astronauts, who will head to Launch Pad 39A aboard the silver Astrovan, are scheduled to lift off aboard space shuttle Atlantis at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 for their mission to the International Space Station. STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the orbiting outpost. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with 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/Kim Shiflett