Space shuttle Atlantis has successfully docked with the International Space Station for the last time, marking the final docking for the 30 year old NASA space shuttle program.

Docking to the station, space station astronaut Ronald Garan Jr. proclaimed:

“Atlantis arriving,” while adding, “Welcome to the International Space Station for the last time.”

The shuttle, which carried four tons of food and provisions to the outpost will allow astronauts aboard the ISS to conduct business as usual for the next 12 months.

The station docking marks the 46th and last of the shuttle program.

Now all that’s left is for the shuttle to return to Earth after ending a 12-day mission at which point it will be retired from services for good.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Docks At International Space Station is a post from: The Inquisitr

NASA officials on Wednesday cleared the space shuttle Atlantis for it’s final voyage to the International Space Station. The flight is meant to take place on Friday, July 8 but only if weather plays nice with a stormy forecast on the horizon.

Officials for the space agency unanimously voted for the launch which will end the agency’s 30-year space plane program.

According to current weather reports the shuttle is suppose to launch on a day that includes a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms and rain showers, both of which would delay the launch.

If the weather plays nice the shuttle will take off at 11:26 a.m. EDT (1526 GMT) on Friday.

Officials are most notably worried about lightning, clouds and rain in the shuttle’s patch. NASA scientists are also worried about storms by a nearby landing strip which could become necessary in the event of an emergency landing shortly after takeoff.

If the shuttle’s departure is a success it will be manned by a rather small crew of just four astronauts who will take part in a 12-day mission aboard the International Space Station in which they will make their final delivery to the space lab.

This final Atlantis mission also marks the 135th shuttle launch for 30-year-old program.

[Photo: collectSPACE.com/Robert Z. Pearlman]

NASA Clears Space Shuttle Atlantis For Last Launch, Weather May Not Cooperate is a post from: The Inquisitr

Shuttle Landing Schedule

With Friday’s return off, the shuttle landing schedule now shifts to Saturday. Atlantis will have four opportunities to land then, both at Kennedy and at California’s Edwards Air Force Base. The first possibility comes at 9:16 a.m. ET at Kennedy.

The space shuttle is wrapping up an 11-day mission repairing the Hubble Space Telescope. If need be, Atlantis has enough resources to remain in space through Monday.

Shuttle Landing Live Webcast

The following is a live Webcast from NASA TV about the shuttle landing and other space-related news. Click the play button to begin the stream.

LIVE WEBCAST: Shuttle Landing Delayed Due to Weather is a post from: The Inquisitr