KSC-2012-5038

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians remove the two external fuel tank doors from the space shuttle Atlantis. The orbiter is undergoing final preparations for its transfer to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex targeted for November. The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Atlantis and Endeavour. Atlantis is being prepared for public display at Kennedy's Visitor Complex. Over the course of its 26-year career, Atlantis spent 293 days in space during 33 missions. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/transition Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann