KSC-98pc1166

The orbiter Atlantis, being towed from the Shuttle Landing Facility toward the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) , intersects the morning sun's rays. In the background, to the right of the VAB, are the Orbiter Processing Facility 1 and 2. Atlantis spent 10 months in Palmdale, CA, undergoing extensive inspections and modifications in the orbiter processing facility there. The modifications included several upgrades enabling it to support International Space Station missions, such as adding an external airlock for ISS docking missions and installing thinner, lighter thermal protection blankets for weight reduction which will allow it to haul heavier cargo. Atlantis will undergo preparations at KSC in Orbiter Processing Facility 2 for its planned flight in June 1999