Groundbreaking Photo of Shuttle Docked to Space Station: (1st ever pic!)

Talk about a view!

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This image of the International Space Station and the docked space shuttle Endeavour, flying at an altitude of approximately 220 miles, seen from the Soyuz TMA-20 following its undocking on May 23, 2011 (USA time). It is the first-ever image of a space shuttle docked to the International Space Station.

A newly-released portrait taken by departing astronauts about a Russian spacecraft reveal a unique portrait of something not seen in the decades-long history of the space shuttle: the famous vehicle docked at the International Space Station.

A Soyuz capsule had never headed for home while a shuttle was parked at the space station, providing a rare opportunity for the photo session. At the time, Endeavour was on the next-to-last shuttle mission.

Source: www.foxnews.com...

Simple breath taking.

I will miss the Shuttle Program and truly admire what it has done for us as the Human Race.

I sure hope to hell we have something in our hat that no one knows about and we DON'T have to utilize the Russian everything we need/want to go up.

Amazing Shot.

And I thought parallel parking was tough! Awesome pic!
Peace

Excellent photo, thanks for posting it. It gives a great perspective on the size of the ISS as it is now. Just looking at the photo makes me feel proud of what we can achieve when we join together to do something.

The space station is such a turd, it looks like a mass of pvc pipe with solar panels. I'm ready for something that looks like the death star.............


But a great picture regardless.

Awesome picture, awesome find. S&F .


I could be mistaken here, but could it be more of a "first picture of the entire ISS" with a shuttle docked?

The fact remains that it's incredible to see the completion of the ISS, when back in 1998-1999 they started building it and I made drawings for each mission going there, and had tried to make a drawing of the entire thing as they had envisioned it. Well I must say this is pretty much on the dot with everything they were thinking!!

whats the light source creating the shadows here? they kinda look backwards to me

Originally posted by readytorevolt
whats the light source creating the shadows here? they kinda look backwards to me

Judging from the fact that the Earth, seen below, is in daylight, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say... THE SUN.


Not everything is a conspiracy. The shuttle really was docked to the ISS. This really is a real picture.

More images here.

Some nice ones.

reply to post by readytorevolt


You get light from the sun from one direction and light reflected back from earth from the opposite direction. One of the main reasons some people think LEO images are fake, and when you get closer to the white of the Shuttle you get even more reflected light from all directions.

reply to post by Fitch303


Aren't we all Haha but are you going to pay for it? Star & Flag OP! Absolutely beautiful..

Thanks for posting this. I've been looking forward to the release of these photos.

Originally posted by Illustronic
More images here.

Some nice ones.

Those are awesome!

Awesome View. Thanks for posting Anon72.

To the NASA Space Shuttle Program, and the Ones that lost their lives doing it for us all. Thank you! It's been quite a ride.


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To the Ones on the last mission, we'll be waiting for your safe return. God Speed!

Space shuttle Atlantis is set to liftoff on the final flight of the shuttle program, STS-135, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station. Launch is currently targeted for July 8. Atlantis will carry a crew of four: Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.

Preparations Move Forward for STS-135 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:46:12 AM CST Today at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, launch pad technicians are loading oxidizer into space shuttle Atlantis' forward and aft reaction control systems. Both solid rocket booster hydraulic power units have been filled with hydrazine and the tanks have been pressurized.

The four STS-135 crew members are set to fly back to their home base at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston where they will resume training for the upcoming mission. The astronauts are expected to depart from Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility in T-38 jets this morning.

NASA.Gov Mission Pages


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Image above: Space shuttle Atlantis stands on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it is set to liftoff on STS-135, the final shuttle mission. Image credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach

I will miss it too. I still have my Space Shuttle Lunch Box from 1st grade. I'll be 40 this year.

What a tremendous shame that this incredible feat of engineering is now retired. Those are some truly historic pictures that will be pined over for a long time. Is capitalism to blame for the drop in ambition? No, because the capitalist countries led space in the 20th century latteraly. Sure, the USSR built their shuttle, but it never entered service.

We're now entering a generation where our kids will play with a model shuttle, or a model Concorde, and wonder 'why don't we have this stuff now?'

So... Back to rockets... Maybe... Until the REAL in-use military technologies are shown to us.

X-37B, anybody?

Thats an amazing shot!!!! Its sad that they are retiring the fleet. I know it was sad when Concorde was retired but these machines also had soul.

another one from a different angle.

reply to post by toreishi


Thats a great image - the space shuttle is a lot more clear!

I remember in the early 80s, seeing the shuttle on the back of a Jumbo flying over Birmingham - awesome!

from the ground:

Originally posted by toreishi
another one from a different angle.

Thats epic and is now my wallpaper. Cheers for sharing

reply to post by benintheuk


I concur.

I tried to make it my mini-pic/avatar but I only got the tip of the left wing.

I need to learn how to re-size these things.

The other pics put up all would be good. Can't go wrong with the Space Shuttle- everyone likes it or can appreciate it. IMO.