Shuttle Flip
Photo: NASA
Astronauts onboard the International Space Station snapped this shot of the space shuttle Atlantis as it executed a backflip on Sunday. The acrobatic feat allowed the ISS crew to check for damage before the shuttle docked with the orbiting outpost. The shuttle’s 12-day mission to the station most likely marks the last timeAtlantis will be in orbit, as all space shuttles are slated to be retired by the end of 2010. So far astronauts have completed two spacewalks to install new batteries and tighten bolts on the outside of the ISS. The shuttle crew is also delivering a new cargo module and a Russian-built mini research module.
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