Atlantis rocketed into orbit for the first time in 1985. This will be its 32nd trip and the 132nd shuttle flight overall. The shuttle is loaded with fresh batteries and a Russian-built compartment for the space station. The 20-foot-long module is crammed with food, laptop computers and other U.S. supplies, part of the deal worked out between the two countries' space agencies. There's so much gear inside that the space station crew will wait until Atlantis leaves before unpacking everything. Commander Kenneth Ham and his crew will install the compartment on the space station, and carry out three spacewalks to replace six old batteries and hook up an antenna and other spare parts. As the sun rose over Kennedy Space Center, crowds began arriving to witness Atlantis' last launch. Among the VIPs was late-night TV comedian David Letterman, who toured the launch site Thursday. Dozens of Russians were expected, as well as about 150 Twittering guests. This is the second time NASA has opened the launch site to so-called tweeters. A NASA spokeswoman said it's a way to spread the message and get the public excited about space, as the shuttle program winds down. President Barack Obama wants NASA to focus on getting astronauts to an asteroid by 2025 and into orbit around Mars by 2035. He canceled the previous administration's Constellation program, considered a continuation of the 1960s Apollo moon program. The space station, meanwhile, will keep operating until at least 2020. Under the Obama plan, NASA astronauts will keep hitching rides aboard Russian Soyuz rockets until U.S. private enterprise can develop spacecraft to safely get humans into orbit. As for Atlantis, it will be prepped for a possible rescue mission for the very last shuttle flight, once it returns from the space station. Its ultimate destination will be a museum somewhere in America. The resting spot has yet to be chosen. ___ On the Net: NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html | 
