Last space shuttle crew almost done packing up - Technology & science - Space - msnbc.com

AP / NASA

The International Space Station's crew and Atlantis' astronauts form a circle in zero-gravity for a portrait: Atlantis' crew consists of NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, Doug Hurley, Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim; the space station's crew members are Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, NASA astronauts Ron Garan and Mike Fossum, and Russian cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko, Alexander Samokutyaev and Sergei Volkov. The U.S. flag pictured was flown on the first space shuttle mission and is being presented to the space station crew.

By Marcia Dunn

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NASA's last space shuttle crew almost done packing up

Atlantis will unlock from space station Tuesday, then begin journey home

The Associated Press

updated 7/17/2011 12:38:35 PM ET 2011-07-17T16:38:35

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The astronauts making NASA's last shuttle flight are almost done packing up their gigantic suitcase for the ride home.

The 10 space travelers spent Sunday putting some final items in Raffaello, the Italian-made cargo canister that's the size of a bus.

"Keep going, you are almost done," encouraged Mission Control.

The compartment will be moved from the International Space Station back onto space shuttle Atlantis early Monday. It carried up tons of food, supplies and other household goods. And it will return with dozens of bundles of trash and discarded equipment.

Atlantis will undock from the space station Tuesday, after a visit of more than a week, and aim for a Thursday landing back in Florida to end 30 years of shuttle flight.

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Hope I get to see the next generation of Space Travel... Maybe even go:)

Don

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