Unique shots of space station and shuttle released

[June 08, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- NASA has released unprecedented glamour photos of a space shuttle linked to the International Space Station taken from a departing spaceship.

Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli (NES'-po-lee) took the photos two weeks ago from inside a Russian Soyuz capsule soon after he left the space station for the trip back to Earth. The space station and attached shuttle Endeavour rotated for the photo shoot while the capsule hovered 200 miles above Earth.

A Soyuz capsule had never headed for home while a shuttle was parked at the space station, providing a rare opportunity for the photo session. At the time, Endeavour was on the next-to-last shuttle mission.

The shuttle fleet is retiring after one last flight next month with a load of supplies for the station.

___

Online:

NASA: http://go.nasa.gov/stationportrait

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.