Shuttle Technicians Finishing Work on Atlantis
Thursday, October 4, 2012
By: Matthew Peddie

Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center are finishing their work on the last of NASA's retired shuttles. The shuttle Atlantis will go on display just a few miles from the space center.

NASA’s other decommissioned shuttles have shipped off to museums across the country, but Atlantis is staying on the space coast.

Atlantis flew the final mission of NASA’s shuttle program in July 2011, and in a few weeks it will leave the space center for the last time.

Lead shuttle systems technician specialist David Bakehorn says after 27 years working on the shuttles, he’s sad to see it go.

“But it’s really nice that it’s staying at home. We were worried we weren’t going to get a real live orbiter here in Florida, but there’s only so many to go around, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Atlantis will be placed on a special trailer for its nine mile trek to the visitor center next month.

Click here to see more photos of shuttle Atlantis in the Orbiter Processing Facility