KSC-2011-5462

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Banana River Creek VIP viewing area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Johnson Space Center Director Mike Coats speaks to media and spectators before the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Seen also Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (left), Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana and Marshall Space Flight Center Director Robert Lightfoot. Atlantis with its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, lifted off at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2011 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. 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 is 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/Chad Baumer