Atlantis Begins Final Flight Home

Shuttle departs International Space Station
Posted May 23, 2010 11:37 AM CDT
Atlantis Begins Final Flight Home
In this image taken from NASA television, the International Space Station is seen from the space shuttle Atlantis as it moves away from the station after undocking, Sunday, May 23, 2010.   (AP Photo/NASA)

Space shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station for the last time this morning and began its return trip to Earth. With Tony Antonelli at the helm, the shuttle did an inspection lap around the nearly complete ISS before its 3-day trip home, reports Florida Today. "This place is now a palace," one astronaut told the AP about the space station. "It's huge, and I've had great fun exploring it."

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