BBC News - Space shuttle Atlantis in historic final lift-off. Also, I show you images and cool facts about that. Also, 2 maximum cards: with Space Shuttles Atlantis and Discovery (I can find a maxicard related to ANY subject; if not, I will MAKE IT relate, more or less subtly)

"English: This image features the space shuttle Atlantis's cabin and forward cargo bay and part of the International Space Station while the two spacecraft remain docked, during STS-132's flight day four extravehicular activity of astronauts Garrett Reisman and Steve Bowen (both out of frame). Though three sessions of extravehicular activity (EVA) will involve only three astronauts (two on each occasion) who actually leave the shirt-sleeve environments of the two docked spacecraft, all twelve astronauts and cosmonauts on the two combined crews have roles in supporting the EVA work."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:STS-132_Atlantis_at_ISS_1.jpg

Atlantis OV-104
Atlantis launching STS-122 mission to dock with the International Space Station.
OV designation	OV-104
Country	United States
Contract award	29 January 1979
Named after	RV Atlantis
Status	Active
First flight	STS-51-J 3–7 October 1985
Last flight	STS-135 8- 20 July 2011
Number of missions	32
Crews	191
Time spent in space	293 days, 18 hours, 29 minutes, 37 seconds as of STS-132
Number of orbits	4,648
Distance travelled	120,650,907 miles (194,168,813 km) as of STS-132[1]
Satellites deployed	14
Mirdockings	7
ISSdockings	11

"The Space Shuttle Atlantis (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-104) is the last active Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States.^[2] The Atlantis was the fourth operational (and the next-to-the-last) Space Shuttle to be constructed by the Rockwell International company in Southern California, and it was delivered to the John F. Kennedy Space Center in eastern Florida in April 1985.^[3][4] Atlantis is the only orbiter which lacks the ability to draw power from the International Space Station while docked there; it must continue to provide its own power through fuel cells.^[5]

Atlantis is nearing retirement, its last scheduled mission is STS-135, the last flight before the Shuttle program ends."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Atlantis

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Space_Shuttle_Atlantis

BBC News - Space shuttle Atlantis in historic final lift-off

The above postcard shows the Discovery Space Shuttle, not Atlantis, but hey!...

The stamp has a generic shuttle, unless some NASA expert begs to differ...or just differs.

The maxicard below has a stamp with the Discovery, but the postcard really shows the Atlantis!

See, you can't always have on hand, in due time for postmarking, the right stamp and the right postcard.

You just do your best, between the perfect TRIFECTA and the perfect DEFECTA, so to speak...:)

Trifecta: "It is also used to describe a situation when three elements come together at the same time."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifecta

I have created this maxicard with the postcard that I bought upon visiting this:

"The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world.^[2] 

It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics.^[2] Almost all space and aircraft on display are originals or backups to the originals. 

It is the second-most popular^[3] of the Smithsonian museums and operates an annex, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, at Dulles International Airport. 

The museum currently conducts restoration of its collection at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland, Maryland."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Air_and_Space_Museum_(United_States)

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/ (wait until Beth posts the today's Linky tool for the meme, then make your entry, if you want to join).