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International Space Station Imagery
Space Shuttle Atlantis performed a backflip about 600 feet from the station
high res (1.9 M) low res (118 K)
ISS013-E-80032 (11 Sept. 2006) --- A crewmember aboard the International Space Station captured this unusual angle of the Space Shuttle Atlantis with a digital still camera as the orbiter performed a backflip while it was about 600 feet from the station during its approach. The flip, done on every shuttle mission, allows a full photographic survey of the shuttle heat shield to be taken by the station crew. This image from that survey shows one of the three the main engines and extends to the shuttle's nose at the top of the frame. In between are both orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods, part of both cargo bay doors, the aft windows of the crew cabin and part of the P3/P4 Integrated Truss Structure, the Ku-band antenna, the remote manipulator system arm and the orbiter boom sensor system (OBSS).

Curator: Kim Dismukes | Responsible NASA Official: John Ira Petty | Updated: 09/12/2006
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