KSC-2011-6458

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis’ payload bay is open. Earlier, a special crane was used to remove Atlantis’ forward reaction control system. The system, which provided maneuvering capabilities to the spacecraft during its missions, will be transported to White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico to undergo a complete deservicing and cleaning. Atlantis glided to a landing, July 21, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility, completing NASA’s final space shuttle mission, STS-135. The shuttle is in OPF-2 being decommissioned and prepared for eventual display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Photo credit: Jim Grossmann