Atlantis Mission: STS-115

The Space Shuttle Atlantis lands before dawn Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., after a twelve day mission to the international space station. Atlantis' mission was filled with strenuous spacewalks and rigorous robotics work that placed the station back on a path to completion after a 3

Space Shuttle Atlantis is seen over Earth after it undocked from the International Space Station Sunday, Sept. 17, 2006. NASA postponed the return of Atlantis, scheduled for Wednesday, and examined the shuttle for damage after mysterious objects were seen near the ship as it orbited. NASA concluded the discovery of unexplained space debris did not pose a serious problem and announced Atlantis would return Thursday.

Astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-115 mission specialist, pauses for a moment during a Sept. 12 spacewalk, which she shared with astronaut Joseph R. Tanner. The two participated in the first of three scheduled STS-115 extravehicular activity (EVA) sessions as the Atlantis astronauts and the Expedition 13 crew members joined in efforts to resume construction of the International Space Station.

The international space station's new solar wings, which were unfurled for the first time by Space Shuttle Atlantis astronauts, are seen Thursday Sept. 14, 2006. The new arrays span a total of 240 feet and have a width of 38 feet. They are attached to the station's newest component, the P3/P4 integrated truss segment. The deployment of the arrays set the stage for future expansion of the station.

This image provided by NASA Tuesday Sept. 12, 2006, shows Astronaut Joseph R. Tanner, mission specialist, moving along the outside of the International Space Station to install a truss during the first of three scheduled spacewalks as the Space Shuttle Atlantis mission at the station continued.

In this photo provided by NASA and taken by a crew member aboard the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, carrying a crew of six, approaches the orbital outpost, Monday Sept. 11, 2006. Major elements for continuing construction on the station, as well as the remote manipulator system and orbiter boom sensor system (OBSS), can be seen in its stowed position.

Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from pad 39b at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006. It was NASA's fifth attempt to get Atlantis's mission started.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis is reflected in a pond on pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006. Mission STS-115, scheduled to launch on Wednesday, Sept. 6, was pushed back until at least Saturday due to fuel cell and fuel tank sensor problems.

Space Shuttle Atlantis begins its rollback, which takes about 10 hours, from the launch pad to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2006, seeking shelter from Tropical Storm Ernesto. Halfway through, NASA reversed course and sent it back to the launch pad, saying the forecast had improved.

This image provided by NASA Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006 is from a remote camera of a lightning strike at the launch pad on Friday. With Tropical Storm Ernesto targeting Florida, NASA scrubbed its scheduled Sunday launch. Unless the storm changes course, crews will start moving Atlantis into its shelter and delay the launch at least eight days.

Great View For Launch — AP Photo/Terry Renna

Spiders climb along their web near the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it sits on pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 25, 2006. Atlantis. During the 11-day mission, the six-person crew is scheduled for three space walks. Atlantis will carry a 17

Afternoon storm clouds roll over Kennedy Space Center and the Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 25, 2006.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis sits on pad 39B surrounded by the rotating service structure at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 25, 2006. The shuttle is scheduled for launch on Sunday.

NASA Test Director Pete Nickolenko, left, and Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters, take part in a shuttle countdown status briefing on Aug. 25, 2006, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

The crew patch for space shuttle mission STS-115. During their 11-day mission, Atlantis' six astronauts will resume building the international space station before the cargo-carrying shuttles are retired in 2010. Construction has been delayed since the 2003 Columbia explosion that killed seven astronauts.

The STS-115 crew, front row from left, pilot Chris Ferguson, and commander Brent Jett, back row from left, mission specialists Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joe Tanner, Dan Burbank, and Steven MacLean, from the Canadian Space Agency. Atlantis' six astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 24, 2006, as the countdown clock began ticking toward a Sunday launch -- which was scrubbed due to the weather.

Crew members of the space shuttle Atlantis walk out of the operations and checkout building to be transported via the astronaut van to the Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39B during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 10, 2006.

The crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis, from left, mission specialist Dan Burbank, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Steve MacLean, mission specialists Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Commander Brent Jett and pilot Chris Ferguson, pose together after their arrival for their launch dress rehearsal at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 7, 2006.

Members of the STS-115 crew fly in their T-38 jets over the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 24, 2006.

The space shuttle Atlantis begins its journey from the vehicle assembly building on its way to launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 2, 2006.