Photos: NASA's Last Shuttle Mission in Pictures

View from the Window

A window on space shuttle Atlantis' aft flight deck frames this scene featuring the Atlantic Ocean/Tropic of Cancer area south of Florida, including some of the 2700 islands that constitute the Bahamas, on Flight Day 1.

Walheim Speaks

Atlantis astronaut Rex Walheim speaks with Mission Control during a standard heat shield inpection of the shuttle's wing edges and nose cap on July 9, 2011, Flight Day 2 of NASA's final shuttle mission STS-135.

Crew on the Flight Deck of Atlantis

NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, left, and Doug Hurley are pictured at the commander's station and pilot's station, respectively, on the flight deck of the space shuttle Atlantis during the mission's second day of activities in Earth orbit.

Commander on the Flight Deck

On July 8, 2011, Flight Day 1, NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson, STS-135 commander, pilot, is pictured at the commander's station on the flight deck of the space shuttle Atlantis during the mission's initial day of activities in Earth orbit.

Shuttle Atlantis Liftoff Seen From Air

Space shuttle Atlantis is seen through the window of a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) as it launches from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on the STS-135 mission, July 8, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the final shuttle mission.

Watching Atlantis Launch

Spectators in the foreground watch as Atlantis launches on its final flight, July 8, 2011.

STS-135 TCDT Walkout

The four astronauts on shuttle Atlantis' final mission, the STS-135 flight, conducted a dress rehearsal for their July liftoff on June 23.

Last Shuttle Crew Waves Farewell

Dressed in their bright-orange launch-and-entry suits, the final four astronauts to launch aboard a space shuttle wave to media and employees cheering them on in front of the Astronaut Crew Quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 8, 2011. From left, are STS-135 Mission Specialists Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Commander Chris Ferguson.

STS-135 Patch

STS-135 patch.

Bright Lights, Last Space Shuttle

Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its bright-orange external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, is bathed in xenon lights and takes center stage on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in this aerial image taken from a NASA helicopter in the predawn hours just before launch on July 8, 2011.