INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION--

The space shuttle Atlantis recently completed a 12 day mission to the space station; resupplying and delivering spare parts. As the shuttle departed the station they took the image above. Visible are numerous modules (crew work and living areas), the trusses that hold the station together and the long, wing-like solar panels that provide power.

The station continues to be home to five astronauts representing NASA, the European Space Agency, the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. It orbits the Earth 17 times each day at an altitude of 250 miles on average. The curvature of the Earth is visible in the background.