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    June 28, 2011

NASA to Launch Final Shuttle Mission July 8

   VOA News
   Shuttle Atlantis' final mission will include mission commander Chris
   Ferguson (CR), pilot Doug Hurley (CL), and mission specialists Rex
   Walheim and Sandy Magnus
   Photo: NASA
   Shuttle Atlantis' final mission will include mission commander Chris
   Ferguson (CR), pilot Doug Hurley (CL), and mission specialists Rex
   Walheim and Sandy Magnus

   Officials with the U.S. space agency, [1]NASA, have voted unanimously
   to set July 8 as the launch date for the U.S. shuttle program's last
   mission.
   NASA made the announcement Tuesday on its Twitter feed.
   The space shuttle Atlantis will be carrying out the final mission of
   the 30-year shuttle program. Atlantis will bring a crew of four to the
   International Space Station, along with a multi-purpose module filled
   with supplies and spare parts to sustain station operations once the
   U.S. shuttles are retired.
   The mission is scheduled to last 12 days.
   Six crew members - three Russians, two Americans and one Japanese
   astronaut - are currently at the space station.
   Earlier Tuesday, an unidentified piece of space debris came close to
   the station, forcing the crew members to seek shelter in their rescue
   craft.
   News reports said the space junk passed within about 245 meters of the
   space station.

References

   1. http://www.nasa.gov/

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