KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - Dropping through nearly cloudless Florida skies, space shuttle Atlantis returned to Kennedy Space Center this morning, possibly for the final time and capping a storied 25-year career of service in NASA's space shuttle orbiter fleet. Atlantis' 32nd mission and 11th visit to the International Space Station drew to a close right on time one the first of two landing opportunities today at 8:48 a.m. EDT. (Photo Above: Space shuttle Atlantis lands at Kennedy Space Center this morning. Photo Credit: Jim Siegel.) STS-132 MISSION ARCHIVE - VIDEOS, DOCUMENTS, EXECUTE PACKAGES, NASA TV SCHEDULE STS-132 MISSION PHOTO GALLERIES WATCH FREE VIDEOS MAY 26, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 13 ASTRONAUTS EGRESS ATLANTIS AFTER LANDING • WATCH | DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS LANDS AT KSC • WATCH | DOWNLOAD LONGER VIDEO OF ATLANTIS LANDING • WATCH | DOWNLOAD LANDING REPLAYS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD OUR VIDEO OF LANDING FROM SLF MID-FIELD • WATCH | DOWNLOAD STS-132 MISSION HIGHLIGHTS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD CREW POSTLANDING PRESS CONFERENCE • WATCH | DOWNLOAD POSTLANDING NEWS CONFERENCE • WATCH | DOWNLOAD MAY 25, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 12 STS-132 ASCENT IMAGERY HIGHLIGHTS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD STS-132 CREW MESSAGE • WATCH | DOWNLOAD STS-132 BEHIND THE SCENES VOLUME 5 • WATCH | DOWNLOAD INTERVIEW WITH FLIGHT CONTROLLER • WATCH | DOWNLOAD FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD FD-12 CREW MEDIA INTERVIEWS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD MAY 24, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 11 FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD MAY 23, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 10 ATLANTIS FLYAROUND TIMELAPSE MUSIC VIDEO • WATCH | DOWNLOAD FAREWELL CEREMONY AND HATCH CLOSING • WATCH | DOWNLOAD FLIGHT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW • WATCH | DOWNLOAD FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD JOINT CREW NEWS CONFERENCE • WATCH | DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKS FROM ISS • WATCH | DOWNLOAD HANDHELD VTR REPLAYS OF UNDOCKING • WATCH | DOWNLOAD HIGH-QUALITY (1200 KBPS) VIDEO DOWNLOADS FOR ALL-ACCESS SUBSCRIBERS MAY 26, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 13 ATLANTIS IS TOWED TO THE ODF AFTER LANDING • DOWNLOAD ASTRONAUTS EGRESS ATLANTIS AFTER LANDING • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS LANDS AT KSC • DOWNLOAD LONGER VIDEO OF ATLANTIS LANDING • DOWNLOAD LANDING REPLAYS • DOWNLOAD OUR VIDEO OF ATLANTIS LANDING FROM THE SLF MID-FIELD • DOWNLOAD STS-132 MISSION HIGHLIGHTS • DOWNLOAD CREW POSTLANDING PRESS CONFERENCE • DOWNLOAD POSTLANDING NEWS CONFERENCE • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 1 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 2 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 3 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 4 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 5 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 6 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 7 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 8 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 9 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 10 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 11 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 12 • DOWNLOAD STS-132 LANDING DAY NASA TV COVERAGE, PART 13 • DOWNLOAD MAY 25, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 12 STS-132 ASCENT IMAGERY HIGHLIGHTS • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS CREW MESSAGE • DOWNLOAD STS-132 BEHIND THE SCENES VOLUME 5 • DOWNLOAD FD-12 FLIGHT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW • DOWNLOAD FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS • DOWNLOAD FD-12 MEDIA INTERVIEWS • DOWNLOAD FD-12 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING • DOWNLOAD MAY 24, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 11 FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS • DOWNLOAD FD-11 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING • DOWNLOAD FD-11 POST-MMT BRIEFING • DOWNLOAD MAY 23, 2010 - FLIGHT DAY 10 ATLANTIS FLYAROUND OF ISS TIMELAPSE WITH MUSIC • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS ISS FLYAROUND • DOWNLOAD FAREWELL CEREMONY AND HATCH CLOSING • DOWNLOAD FD-10 FLIGHT CONTROLLER INTERVIEW • DOWNLOAD FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS • DOWNLOAD JOINT CREW NEWS CONFERENCE • DOWNLOAD JOINT CREW NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ENGLISH INTTERPRETATION • DOWNLOAD FD-10 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKS FROM ISS • DOWNLOAD HANDHELD VTR REPLAY OF UNDOCKING • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKING COVERAGE, PART 1 • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKING COVERAGE, PART 2 • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKING COVERAGE, PART 3 • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKING COVERAGE, PART 4 • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKING COVERAGE, PART 5 • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKING COVERAGE, PART 6 • DOWNLOAD ATLANTIS UNDOCKING COVERAGE, PART 7 • DOWNLOAD "Houston, Atlantis... we have wheels stopped," shuttle commander Ken Ham radioed to mission control as Atlantis rolled to a stop on KSC's three mile long runway. "Hock, that landing was something that your Air Force crewmates should have really been proud of, that looked pretty sweet," CAPCOM Charles Hobaugh replied. "For you and your crew, that was a suiting end to an incredible mission," he said. "I'm sure the station crew members hated to see you leave, but we're glad to have you back. You guys executed flawlessly and not only that, you had a great time doing it. That was very evident from the ground. Everybody down here really enjoyed working with you." Today's landing was picture-perfect in just about all regards and beautiful weather awaited the six-member STS-132 crew as entry and landing preparations got underway this morning. About an hour before landing, Atlantis fired its twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines to slow the craft slightly more than 200 miles per hour and set it on course for landing back home in Florida. Flying up the Florida coast from the south, Atlantis' arrival was heralded by the now-familiar twin sonic booms rolling across the Space Coast. At an altitude of about 50,000 feet, Ham took over manual control of Atlantis and flew the spacecraft-turned-glider through a 320-degree right overhead turn to line up with KSC's south-to-north runway 33. Falling at a rate seven times that of a commercial jetliner, 21 degrees, Ham brought Atlantis through a perfect descent. About 1,000 feet above the swampland and marsh surrounding the runway, he pulled the nose of Atlantis up to dissipate residual energy and drop the orbiter to a pinpoint landing about 2500 feet from the end of the runway. Pilot Dominic Anotnelli deployed the landing gear and, just after main gear touchdown, released the red-and-white drag chute. Atlantis landed on-time at 8:48:11 a.m. EDT for a total mission duration of 11 days, 18 hours, 28 minutes and 2 seconds. The vehicle circled the Earth 186 times and completed a journey of 4.9 million miles during its mission to deliver a new Russian-built module to the International Space Station. After landing, Ham and Antonelli were joined by their crewmates - mission specialists Michael Good, Stephen Bowen, Piers Sellers and Garrett Reisman - on the runway with NASA officials for the traditional walk-around and inspection of the orbiter. They were then driven back to astronaut quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building for postflight medical checkups. They're scheduled to return to Houston's Johnson Space Center on Thursday. "It was smooth as silk," STS-132 Commander Ken Ham said of Atlantis' entry and landing. "We were clearly riding in the middle of a fireball, and it was spectacular. The windows, all of them, were bright, brilliant orange. One of the neatest things was when we flew right into orbital sunrise." The flawless landing wrapped up a highly successful mission to deliver the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1, known as "Rassvet", to the International Space Station. STS-132 marked the first time a U.S. orbiter was used to deliver a Russian pressurized module to ISS, a fitting tribute to the history of partnership between the American and Russian space programs which often featured Atlantis as the workhorse. "We're thrilled, because we accomplished the mission that was put in front of us," Ham said. He explained that in addition to the technical objectives of the 12-day mission, the astronauts also wanted to enjoy themselves and share their enthusiasm of spaceflight with the world. "We've been hearing stories about how folks have been having fun and enjoyed watching us have fun, and that's really important to us." 
(Above: The Rassvet MRM-1. Credit: NASA) Rassvet, also known as the Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM 1) and formerly known as the Docking Cargo Module (DCM), is a component of the International Space Station (ISS). It's name being the Russian word for "Dawn", Rassvet will be primarily used for cargo storage and as a docking port for visiting spacecraft. The Rassvet module was designed and built by S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, from the already-made pressurized hull of the mock-up for dynamic tests of the canceled Science Power Platform. On December 17, 2009 an Antonov AN-124 cargo plane carrying the Rassvet Module and ground process equipment kit arrived at the Kennedy Space Center. Upon unloading, the equipment was delivered to Astrotech's spacecraft processing facility several miles away in Titusville, Florida. Energia technicians continued their work at the SPPF facility of the Astrotech on the processing of the Rassvet Module and completed stand-alone electrical tests and leak tests of the module and the airlock. They also prepared the airlock and the radiative heat exchanger for installation onto Rassvet. Rassvet was moved to NASA's Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) on April 2, 2010 and, after completing final processing elements, it was placed into the shuttle payload transporter on April 5, 2010. The payload canister containing the Rassvet Module was delivered to Launch Complex 39-A on April 15, 2010. STS-132 was Atlantis final manifested flight. However, it may not be the last time Atlantis flies to space. Back on the ground, the vehicle was towed back to Orbiter Processing Facility #1 where it will be processed for potential emergency service as the STS-335 Launch-On-Need mission to backup Endeavour's STS-134 flight, the final scheduled shuttle mission. Even if its services as a rescue shuttle aren't needed, Atlantis could still fly one more time. Since it will have been processed for flight, and KSC will be in possession of the solid rocket booster and external tank for the flight, which would otherwise go to waste or a museum, there is a push, especially within NASA and Congress, to fund one final flight for the orbiter, STS-135, to deliver more spare parts and supplies to ISS. STS-135 would be manned by a crew of four astronauts and so, in case of an emergency, they could take refuge onboard the space station and ride the Russian Soyuz spacecraft home. In that case, a rescue mission wouldn't be required. The viability of flying STS-135 is still under debate and review, with a decision expected sometime during the summer timeframe. If NASA decides to take a pass on the flight, Atlantis' next trip will be to a museum. The third of five orbiters constructed by NASA, Atlantis (OV-104) was delivered to Kennedy Space Center in April 1985. Atlantis is named after a two-masted sailing ship that was operated for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute from 1930 to 1966. It lifted off on its maiden voyage on Oct. 3, 1985, on mission 51-J, the second dedicated Department of Defense flight. Atlantis carried the Magellan Spacecraft into orbit, sending it on its way to Venus, where it mapped 98 percent of the planet from orbit. In October 1989, during STS-34, it also deployed the Galileo Spacecraft to Jupiter, where it collected data on the planet and its moons for eight years. On STS-37, Atlantis deployed the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) as its primary payload, in April 1991. Atlantis was the first orbiter to dock with the Russian Mir space station in 1995 and returned another 6 times during the Shuttle-Mir program which saw the shuttle dock with the station a total of 11 times. "Atlantis has a history of being the shuttle that did the most international things," said Emily Nelson, lead space station flight director for the mission. "It's the orbiter that the Russians have known best, because it's one that came to their space station most often, and it's one that we used to deliver a module for them in the past." Atlantis has visited the International Space Station 11 times, delivering among other pieces of hardware, the United States' Destiny Laboratory and Europe's Columbus. And just last year it made the final flight to the Hubble Space Telescope, bringing upgrades that should allow the telescope to see further into the universe than ever for years to come. "Atlantis has clearly been a work horse of the space shuttle fleet over the years," said Mike Sarafin, lead STS-132 shuttle flight director. "The shuttle program history is pretty complicated, but I think it will show that Atlantis is a remarkable vehicle." (The Spacearium / SpaceflightNews.net)
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