Categories: Space FlightSpace ShuttleSpace Station

Picture Gallery: STS-132, Atlantis’ Last Mission

Another incredible shot of the ISS, with Atlantis' tail visible. Credit: NASA

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Is this Atlantis’ last mission to space? STS-132 is the last scheduled flight for space shuttle Atlantis, and it remains to be seen whether any additional shuttle flights will be added. But the imagery from this mission is incredibly rich with wonderful images of the orbiter. So, while previous shuttle mission galleries we have here on Universe Today normally feature images from the EVAs, this gallery will mainly showcase images of Atlantis. And there are some really great photos — not sure whether the astronauts/photographers are consciously focusing on the shuttle or these images are just marvelously serendipitous. We’ll do a second gallery as more images come in from the later part of the mission. Enjoy!

Atlantis during the R-bar pitch maneuver as it approaches the ISS. Credit: NASA

Atlantis is backdropped by Earth as the shuttle approaches the International Space Station during STS-132 rendezvous and docking operations. Docking occurred at 9:28 a.m. (CDT) on May 16, 2010.

Cool view of Atlantis' back end, as it approaches the ISS. Credit: NASA

Just a very neat image of Atlantis, as seen from the ISS, backdropped by a cloudy area on Earth.

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Another incredible shot of the ISS, with Atlantis' tail visible. Credit: NASA

Amazing shot of the Russian Segment behind Atlantis’s tail on FD 4 prior to docking.

Robotic arm ballet, with astronaut. Credit: NASA

Anchored to a Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint, NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman works during the STS-132 mission’s first EVA. Dextre, a two-armed extension for the station’s robotic arm is also visible.

Fish eye view of Garrett Reisman working in the ISS's Cupola. Credit: NASA

This image might win the award for most futuristic looking image of the mission, and some have compared it to a scene from the movie “2001” — um, wait, is that considered a history movie now?

View of the ISS as Atlantis approaches on May 16, 2010. Credit: NASA

The Russian Mini Research Module, Rassvet, pulled from Atlantis' payload bay. Credit: NASA

In the grasp of the Canadarm2, the Russian-built Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM-1) is transferred from space shuttle Atlantis’ payload bay to be permanently attached to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya Functional Cargo Block (FGB) of the International Space Station.

Steve Bowen during the first EVA of STS-132. Credit: NASA

Obligatory image of a waving astronaut during an EVA. But it never gets old, so keep it up, guys!

Stunning view and colors. Credit: NASA

Another great view of Atlantis, her starboard wing area, over Earth. Credit: NASA

NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman takes a self-portrait visor while participating in the first of three spacewalks. Credit: NASA

Atlantis' launch on May 14, 2010. Credit: NASA

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy has been with Universe Today since 2004, and has published over 6,000 articles on space exploration, astronomy, science and technology. She is the author of two books: "Eight Years to the Moon: the History of the Apollo Missions," (2019) which shares the stories of 60 engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make landing on the Moon possible; and "Incredible Stories from Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos" (2016) tells the stories of those who work on NASA's robotic missions to explore the Solar System and beyond. Follow Nancy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Nancy_A and and Instagram at and https://www.instagram.com/nancyatkinson_ut/