Nasa Prepares for Shuttle Launch

Nasa has cleared a readiness review of the space shuttle Atlantis to launch on 8 July in its Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US.

Atlantis's STS-135 mission, which will deliver the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain space station operations after the shuttles are retired, is the final flight of the space shuttle programme.

The STS-135 mission also will fly the robotic refuelling mission, an experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically refuel satellites in space, including satellites not designed to be serviced.

STS-135 is the 135th shuttle mission, Atlantis's 33rd flight and the 37th shuttle mission to the station.