The shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station Sunday, wrapping up a week of assembly work to install a new Russian module loaded with 1.5 tons of NASA cargo, along with a backup Ku-band antenna, six new solar array batteries and more than a ton of other equipment and supplies.

Credit: NASA TV

With pilot Dominic "Tony" Antonelli at the controls, the shuttle's payload bay docking mechanism disengaged its counterpart on the space station's forward port at 11:22 a.m. EDT as the two spacecraft sailed 220 miles above the Southern Ocean southwest of Perth, Australia.

"Houston and station, from Atlantis, physical separation," shuttle commander Kenneth Ham radioed.

"Space shuttle Atlantis, departing," flight engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson said, ringing the ship's bell in the Harmony module as the shuttle drifted away.

"Atlantis, station is now in attitude control," flight engineer Timothy Creamer radioed a few moments later. "Hock, I've gotta tell you, you guys were consummate professionals with a great sense of humor, we were so glad to see you, loved working with you. See you soon, brother. Stay safe."

"Copy all, T.J., and same comments right back at you, brother," Ham replied.

Atlantis slowly pulled away to a point about 400 feet directly in front of the station where Antonelli began a 360-degree photo-documentation loop around the lab complex.

"I get to fly the separation," he said before launch. "I'll do a one-lap fly around of the space station. We train that a lot in the sim. It turns out the view is much better for real and the flying is more fun when you can actually feel the vehicle moving around."

The astronauts beamed down spectacular views of the space station as the shuttle looped up, over and behind the lab complex as the two spacecraft sailed above Mexico and the central United States on a southwest-to-northeast trajectory.

During a week of docked operations, the astronauts installed the 17,760-pound Russian mini-research module known as Rassvet and staged three spacewalks last Monday, Wednesday and Friday to install a backup Ku-band antenna system, an equipment mounting platform and to replace six batteries in the port-6 solar array.

The astronauts also delivered 2,192 pounds of equipment and supplies that were carried up in the shuttle's crew cabin, along with 1,300 pounds of fresh water generated by the ship's fuel cells. Some 1,763 pounds of equipment and experiment samples were transferred from the station to the shuttle's crew cabin for the trip home.

Altogether, the Atlantis astronauts delivered 28,792 pounds of equipment and supplies to the space station. Total cargo being carried back to Earth, including the old P6 batteries and the cargo pallet holding them in place, adds up to 8,229 pounds.

The Atlantis astronauts plan to carry out a final heat shield inspection Monday before packing up and testing the shuttle's re-entry systems Tuesday. Landing back at the Kennedy Space Center is targeted for 8:48 a.m. Wednesday morning, weather permitting.

Three hours before undocking, the two crews gathered for a brief farewell ceremony in the forward Harmony module.

"This is time when we have to say goodbye to our friends, our colleagues, the excellent crew of shuttle Atlantis that did an excellent job performing three EVAs, installing the new Russian module, having good fun, enjoying living on station and working in space," said Expedition 23 commander Oleg Kotov.

"They show good example of friendship, professionalism and classic attitudes in their behavior. ... So again, thank you Ken, for excellent job. We enjoyed working with you."

"Well Oleg, we are one happy shuttle crew," Ham replied. "And we are happy because of all of your effort, too. I think through our entire docked timeframe here we were a 12-person crew that operated together. And that was the only way we got everything done. ... So we are happy. But this one is to friends we're going to leave behind, and new friends that we've made, close friends. We've had a great time together.

"We are going to close the hatch shortly and we're going to depart," Ham said. "And of course, as always, it'll be a little bit sad. But we'll see you all on the surface of planet Earth again soon."

Kotov, Creamer and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi plan to follow the Atlantis astronauts back to Earth in nine days, departing June 1 (U.S. time) aboard the Soyuz TMA-17 capsule for a landing in Kazakhstan to close out a six-month stay in space.

Cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov will take command from Kotov, remaining aboard the station with Caldwell Dyson and Mikhail Kornienko as the Expedition 24 crew. They will be joined by cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, Douglas Wheelock and Shannon Walker, who are scheduled for launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft on June 15.

The final planned flight of space shuttle Atlantis is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-132. Available in our store!
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS FLIES UNDERNEATH THE COMPLEX PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE BEGINS FLYAROUND OF THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS UNDOCKS FROM INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS BID FAREWELL TO STATION CREW PLAY
VIDEO: IN-FLIGHT CREW NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF UNDOCKING AND FLYAROUND PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 9: UPDATE ON NEW RASSVET MODULE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 9: CELEBRATION OF ISAAC NEWTON PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 9: GOODIES AND FOOD TREATS PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CARGO PALLET RETURNED TO ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 9 PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: GETTING READY TO GO OUTSIDE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: ASTRONAUTS WALKING IN SPACE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: PIERS WORKS IN THE CUPOLA PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: PEEK INSIDE RASSVET MODULE PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 8 PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: LAST OF THE OLD BATTERIES STOWED AWAY PLAY
VIDEO: FINAL BATTERY INSTALLED IN THE SIX-PACK PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS INSTALL BATTERY ECHO PLAY
VIDEO: BATTERY REPLACEMENT WORK RESUMES PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH THE ASTRONAUTS BEGIN THE SPACEWALK PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 3 PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: STATION'S NEWEST MODULE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: GETTING READY TO WALK IN SPACE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: ATLANTIS' COMMANDER AND PILOT PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: CHATTING WITH STATION RESIDENT PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 7 PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ASSOCIATED PRESS, FOX AND CBS INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: DINNER TIME IS FUN TMIE IN SPACE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: THE VICTORIOUS SPACEWALKERS PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: MIKE AND STEVE RETURN FROM EVA PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 6 PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: REMOVING GIMBAL LOCKS ON ANTENNA DISH PLAY
VIDEO: ADDING TO TORQUE TO NEW KU-BAND ATENNA PLAY
VIDEO: THE DAY'S FINAL NEW BATTERY INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: THIRD OLD BATTERY PULLED OUT AND STOWED PLAY
VIDEO: SECOND FRESH BATTERY PUT INTO STATION PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST OF THE NEW BATTERIES INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS REMOVE FIRST OLD BATTERY PLAY
VIDEO: CABLE ON INSPECTION SENSOR UNTANGLED PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 2 PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 6 ACTIVITIES PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: FLIGHT DECK OF ATLANTIS PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: GIVING WATER TO STATION PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: INSIDE DESTINY LABORATORY PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: ROBOTICS WORKSTATION IN CUPOLA PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: LOOKING OUT WINDOW AT EARTH PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: DAILY SHUTTLE CHORES PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 5 PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: MSNBC AND CNN INTERVIEWS OF CREW PLAY
VIDEO: CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL AROUND PLAY
VIDEO: RASSVET CAPTURED AND SECURED TO ZARYA MODULE! PLAY
VIDEO: TWEAKING FINAL ALIGNMENT OVER DOCKING PORT PLAY
VIDEO: DOCKING PROBE EXTENDED FROM RASSVET NOSE PLAY
VIDEO: SWINGING RASSVET FROM ATLANTIS TO STATION PLAY
VIDEO: RASSVET UNBERTHED FROM SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 5 ACTIVITIES PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATED OVERVIEW OF RUSSIA'S RASSVET MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATED OVERVIEW OF MISSION'S CARGO CARRIER PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: AN ADDITION TO DEXTRE ROBOT PLAY
VIDEO: TORQUING ANTENNA ASSEMBLY INTO PLACE PLAY
VIDEO: FETCHING 6-FOOT-DIAMETER ANTENNA DISH PLAY
VIDEO: BOLTING BOOM ATOP STATION'S Z1 TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS HANDOFF ANTENNA BOOM PLAY
VIDEO: UNPACKING ANTENNA BOOM FROM CARRIER PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALK NO. 1 BEGINS PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 1 PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 4 ACTIVITIES PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM CHAIRMAN UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: CARRIER ATTACHED TO STATION'S RAILCAR PLAY
VIDEO: CARGO PALLET LIFTED FROM SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: WELCOMING CEREMONY FOR SHUTTLE CREW PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS DOCKS TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS PERFORMS BACKFLIP MANEUVER PLAY
VIDEO: BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF SHUTTLE ATLANTIS APPROACHING PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATED PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 3 ACTIVITIES PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 2 PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM CHAIRMAN UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THE FULL STS-132 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS BLASTS OFF! PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GO INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PATRICK AFB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 070 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 071 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA BEACH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD FRONT CAMERA PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS LEAVE CREW QUARTERS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW FINISHES GETTING SUITED UP PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS WEARING TUXEDOS LAUNCH DAY PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF SHUTTLE'S PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF PAYLOADS' PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: ATLANTIS ON EVE OF FINAL PLANNED LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD'S SERVICE TOWER RETRACTED PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PAYLOAD BAY DOORS CLOSED FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS INSPECT THE PAYLOAD BAY PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: JERRY ROSS' LAUNCH ON MISSION STS-61B PLAY
VIDEO: MAIDEN LAUNCH OF ATLANTIS AS SEEN LIVE IN 1985 PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS' FIRST MISSION ENDS WITH LAKEBED LANDING PLAY
VIDEO: AN ASTRONAUT'S TRIBUTE TO SHUTTLE ATLANTIS PLAY

VIDEO: COUNTDOWN STATUS AND WEATHER FORECAST PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH NASA'S PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: GET BRIEFED ON THE LAUNCH COUNTDOWN PLAY
VIDEO: HEAR FROM THE COMMANDER AT THE RUNWAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE IN FLORIDA FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH KEN HAM PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH TONY ANTONELLI PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH GARRETT REISMAN PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH MIKE GOOD PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH STEVE BOWEN PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH PIERS SELLERS PLAY

VIDEO: STS-132 MISSION PREVIEW MOVIE PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FULL FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: RECAP OF THE FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MANAGERS ASSESS ISSUES BEFORE FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: UPDATE ON PRE-LAUNCH PREPS AT PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PROGRAM BRIEFING BY SHUTTLE AND STATION CHIEFS PLAY
VIDEO: THE STS-132 MISSION OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW BRIEFING ON MISSION'S SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS' PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE EVACUATION PRACTICE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS BOARD ATLANTIS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH DAY REHEARSAL BEGINS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW BRIEFED ON EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TEST-DRIVING AN EMERGENCY ARMORED TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW'S CHAT WITH REPORTERS AT PAD 39A PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER RUNWAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES FOR PRACTICE COUNTDOWN PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: GANTRY PLACED AROUND ATLANTIS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS REACHES PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CROWDS AND THE CREW CHEER ON ATLANTIS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: OVERNIGHT ROLLOUT TO THE PAD BEGINS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: SHUTTLE HOISTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CRANE ROTATES THE ORBITER VERTICALLY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ATLANTIS RISES OFF THE TRANSPORTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ORBITER EMERGES FROM ITS HANGAR PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: BUTTONING UP RUDDER/SPEED BRAKE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DOME SHIELDS AROUND MAIN ENGINES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: EXTERNAL TANK ATTACHED TO BOOSTERS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PAYLOADS HEAD FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RASSVET PLACED INTO THE TRANSPORTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PALLET LOADED WITH MISSION'S CARGO PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RUSSIAN RASSVET MODULE ON DISPLAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RUSSIAN ENGINEERS DISCUSS THEIR RASSVET MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: RASSVET HATCH CLOSED FOR FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FILLING MODULE WITH NASA SUPPLIES PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS VISIT THEIR SPACECRAFT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW INSPECTS RASSVET MODULE PLAY | HI-DEF
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