A Virtual Flight to the International Space Station
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Standing on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, ready to Launch the Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station. |
| Next Image shows the Lift off of Atlantis on its way to the International Space Station |  |
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Good Solid Rocket Separation |
| Starting The Orbital Maneuvering Procedure |  |
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In Orbit and Separating the External Fuel Tank |
| Opening The Cargo Bay Doors, Port and Starboard Radiators, And KU Band Antenna |  |
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Atlantis in Low Earth Orbit. Getting Ready To Synchronize Orbit with the International Space Station |
| Synchronizing Orbits with the International Space Station |  |
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Arriving at the International Space Station |
| Aligning with the International Space Station's Port 1 Docking Collar. Note the Russian Soyuz docked at the top of the screen with the Russian Zwesda Module which was the third Component of the International Space Station |  |
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Approaching The Pressurized Mating Adapter Docking Collar |
| Docked with the International Space Station |  |
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An External View of the Space Shuttle Atlantis Docked with the International Space Station and the Russian Soyuz Service Module. |
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Entering The International Space Station through the Pressurized Mating Adapter connected to the U.S. Research Module |
| View of Earth Through the Observation Bay Window behind one Of the U.S. Module's floor panels |  |
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Entering the Unity Node. To the left is the EVA Airlock used for External Access to the International Space Station. To the Right continues on to the Zarya Module |
| Entering the Russian Zarya Module. This was the First component of the International Space Station to be Placed in orbit. Using a Russian Unmanned Proton Rocket. |  |
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The Connecting Node that Connects the Zarya Module to the Zwesda Command Module This Node houses generic docking ports used for International Space Station Resupply flights. |
| Entering the Zwesda Command Module. This Module serves as the Living Quarters for the Residents of the International Space Station |  |
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Inside The Zwesda Command Module. At the End of this module is the Mating Adapter that has the Russian Soyuz Command Module docked to it which serves as a lifeboat and is also used to Ferry Astronauts to and from the International Space Station |
| Looking Back from the Zwesda Module to the other end of the International Space Station |  |
The Screenshots on the Right were Taken using |
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Reentry and landing back at Kennedy Space Center
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Un-docking from The International Space Station |
| Closing The Cargo Bay Doors and Preparing For Retrograde Burn |  |
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Performing a De-orbit burn |
| Watching the Sunrise during the De-orbital coast |  |
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Pitching Up for reentry at about 100km altitude. Too much pitch will cause the Atlantis to burn up. To little pitch will cause the Atlantis to Skip off the atmosphere |
| A perfect reentry angle |  |
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Approaching the U.S. Eastern Sea board from the Pacific ocean |
| Flying the heaviest Glider in the world at about 40km altitude |  |
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Gliding over Kennedy Space Center. Getting ready to line up with Runway 33 |
| Lined up on the runway Gear Down and ready to land |  |
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Touch Down on Runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center |