The final countdown for the Space Shuttle Atlantis begins

Space · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Watch as Commander Ken Ham and his crew prepare for the STS-132 mission. This video captures the final preparations for a critical cargo delivery to the International Space Station.

The mission, scheduled for launch from Kennedy Space Center on May 14 at 2:20 p.m. EDT, involves the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The crew of six—including Commander Ken Ham and Pilot Tony Antonelli—will transport a cargo carrier and the Russian Mini Research Module, known as "Rassvet" (dawn), to the International Space Station.

The video highlights the sense of duty felt by the astronauts, with Commander Ham describing the opportunity to represent the space program as an "absolute privilege."

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