Editing Space Shuttle Atlantis (section)

== Decommissioning ==
{{Main|Space Shuttle retirement}}
[[File:Space Shuttle Placement Announcement - 201104120001HQ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|NASA administrator Charlie Bolden announces that ''Atlantis'' will remain at the [[Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex]] on permanent exhibition]]

NASA initially planned to withdraw ''Atlantis'' from service in 2008, as the orbiter would have been due to undergo its third scheduled OMDP; the timescale of the final retirement of the shuttle fleet was such that having the orbiter undergo this work was deemed uneconomical. It was planned that ''Atlantis'' would be kept in near-flight condition to be used as a [[Cannibalization (parts)|spares source]] for ''Discovery'' and ''Endeavour''. However, with the significant planned flight schedule up to 2010, the decision was taken to extend the time between OMDPs, allowing ''Atlantis'' to be retained for operations. ''Atlantis'' was subsequently swapped for one flight of each ''Discovery'' and ''Endeavour'' in the flight manifest. ''Atlantis'' had completed what was meant to be its last flight, [[STS-132]], prior to the end of the shuttle program,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2007/06/atlantis-avoids-early-retirement-will-keep-flying-to-2010/|title=Atlantis avoids early retirement – will keep flying to 2010 |publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|last=Bergin|first=Chris|date=June 23, 2007}}</ref> but the extension of the Shuttle program into 2011 led to ''Atlantis'' being selected for [[STS-135]], the final Space Shuttle mission in July 2011.

[[File:Kennedy Space Center (11655405446).jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|''Atlantis'' display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex]]

''Atlantis'' is currently displayed at the [[Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex]].<ref>{{cite news|title=NYC, L.A., Kennedy Space Center, Smithsonian to get the 4 retired space shuttles |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/04/kennedy-space-center-air-and-space-museum-likely-to-get-2-of-the-4-retiring-shuttle-vehicles/1|newspaper=USA Today|date=April 12, 2011}}</ref> NASA Administrator [[Charles Bolden]] announced the decision at an employee event held on April 12, 2011, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the [[STS-1|first shuttle flight]]: "First, here at the Kennedy Space Center where every shuttle mission and so many other historic human space flights have originated, we'll showcase my old friend, ''Atlantis''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts134/110412museums/|title=Space shuttle retirement museums announced|author=William Harwood|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=April 12, 2011|access-date=April 13, 2011|archive-date=April 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415063717/http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts134/110412museums/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=ares3>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_iqc-FbRaw|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/v_iqc-FbRaw|archive-date=December 11, 2021|url-status=live|title=Homes of Retired Space Shuttle Orbiters Announcement by NASA Admin Charlie Bolden|author=Matthew Travis|publisher=SpaceflightNews.net|date=April 12, 2011|access-date=June 23, 2011}} {{cbignore}}</ref>

The Visitor Complex displays ''Atlantis'' with payload bay doors opened mounted at a 43.21° angle to give the appearance of being in orbit around the Earth.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis {{!}} Kennedy Space Center |url=https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/explore-attractions/shuttle-a-ship-like-no-other/featured-attraction/space-shuttle-atlantis |access-date=August 19, 2022 |website=www.kennedyspacecenter.com}}</ref> The mount angle pays tribute to the countdown that preceded every shuttle launch at KSC.<ref>{{cite news|title=Angling Atlantis: Space shuttle raised and tilted for public display|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-113012a.html|author=Robert Z. Pearlman |publisher=Collect Space}}</ref> A multi-story digital projection of Earth rotates behind the orbiter in a {{cvt|5900|m2}} indoor facility.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/11367-nasa-space-shuttles-museums-winners.html|title=NASA Gives Space Shuttles to Smithsonian and Museums in California, Florida and NYC|author=Robert Z. Pearlman|publisher=CollectSPACE.com|date=April 12, 2011|access-date=April 13, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/kscshuttledisplay.html|title=NASA to Enhance Shuttle Story at Kennedy with Atlantis|publisher=NASA|date=April 12, 2011|access-date=April 13, 2011}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Ground breaking of the facility occurred in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kennedyspacecenter.com/orbiter-announcement.aspx|title=There's No Space Like Home. Welcome Home, Atlantis!|access-date=April 14, 2010|publisher=KSC|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110414124732/http://kennedyspacecenter.com/orbiter-announcement.aspx|archive-date=April 14, 2011}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

The exhibit opened on June 29, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Space shuttle Atlantis exhibit opens June 29|url=http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/on-the-town/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/2/21/nasa_to_announce_gra.html|publisher=CFN13|access-date=February 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130223072210/http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/on-the-town/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/2/21/nasa_to_announce_gra.html|archive-date=February 23, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>