CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts surveyed their ship using a newly repaired instrument that scanned for damage Monday, two days ahead of their return to Earth. Atlantis undocked from the space station Sunday, leaving behind a new 20-foot compartment loaded with supplies and six fresh batteries. It's scheduled to land Wednesday. Unless the White House grants a reprieve, this is the final mission for Atlantis. Only two shuttle flights remain, by Discovery and Endeavour. Both space station trips are scheduled for fall. NASA is under presidential direction to get out of the business of launching astronauts into orbit around the Earth and, instead, focus on sending them to asteroids and Mars. The Obama Administration would like private business to pick up the slack. Until that happens, NASA astronauts will continue catching rides to and from the space station on Russian rockets.
Space shuttle Atlantis is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member shortly after Atlantis docked with the International Space Station. The Russian-built Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM-1), named Rassvet, is visible in the cargo bay. Earth's horizon and the blackness of space provide the backdrop for the scene. NASA
Space Shuttle Atlantis sits on launch pad 39-a in preparation for launch later today from Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station May 14, 2010 in Cape Canaveral. This is scheduled to be the final launch for Atlantis. Getty Images / Matt Stroshane
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off of launch pad 39-a at Kennedy Space Center for its final scheduled launch on May 14, 2010, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Getty Images / Matt Stroshane
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off of launch pad 39-a at Kennedy Space shuttle Atlantis lifts-off from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Friday May 14, 2010. AP / Marta Lavandier
The space shuttle Atlantis lifts off for the last time Friday, May 14, 2010, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. AP / Chris O'Meara
Barbara Jean Tuomala, of Cape Cod, Mass., photographs her second shuttle launch as spectators at Jetty Park in Port Canaveral line the shoreline to watch the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on Friday afternoon, May, 14, 2010 in Port Canaveral, Fla. Florida Today / Rik Jesse
Photographers make images as the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off May 14, 2010 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. With more than 40,000 spectators watching, the space shuttle Atlantis blasted off Friday on its final journey. AFP / Getty Images / Don Emmert
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off of launch pad 39-a at Kennedy Space Center for its final scheduled launch May 14, 2010 in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Getty Images / Eliot J. Schechter
The space shuttle Atlantis and part of the International Space Station are viewed on May 17, 2010 while the two spacecraft remain docked, during STS-132's flight-day four extravehicular activity of astronauts Garrett Reisman and Steve Bowen (not shown). NASA
NASA astronaut Ken Ham, STS-132 commander, floats into the Columbus laboratory of the International Space Station while space shuttle Atlantis remains docked with the station. NASA
Intersecting the thin line of Earth's atmosphere, the aft section of space shuttle Atlantis is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member shortly after Atlantis docked with the International Space Station. The Russian-built Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM-1), named Rassvet, is visible in the cargo bay. NASA
The aft section of space shuttle Atlantis is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member shortly after Atlantis docked with the International Space Station. The Russian-built Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM-1), named Rassvet, is visible in the cargo bay. The planet Venus and the moon are visible at top center. NASA
Space shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay and its vertical stabilizer intersects Earth's horizon on Flight Day 2 on May 14, 2010 in space. This is the final scheduled mission for Atlantis and it will dock with the International Space Station to deliver a payload of a new Russian compartment and fresh batteries. NASA
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 activities on May 17, 2010 in space. NASA
Astronauts Michael Good (left) and Garrett Reisman look through the aft flight deck windows of space shuttle Atlantis during the mission's third spacewalk. During the spacewalk, Good and Reisman completed the installation of the final two of the six new batteries for the B side of the port 6 solar array. In addition, the astronauts installed a backup ammonia jumper cable between the port 4 and 5 trusses of the station and transferred a power and data grapple fixture from the shuttle to the station. NASA
Anchored to the Canadarm2 mobile foot restraint, Garrett Reisman performs construction and maintenance activities outside the station during the STS-132 mission's first spacewalk. During the seven-hour, 25-minute spacewalk, Reisman and NASA astronaut Steve Bowen installed a second antenna for high-speed Ku-band transmissions and added a spare parts platform to Dextre, a two-armed extension for the station's robotic arm. NASA
Astronauts Michael Good, foreground, and Garrett Reisman, STS-132 mission specialists, work during the flight's final space walk at the International Space Station on May 21, 2010. AP NASA
Astronaut Michael Good, STS-132 mission specialist, as seen from the space shuttle Atlantis' forward cargo bay on May 21, 2010, works during the flight's final space walk at the International Space Station. NASA
Astronaut Garrett Reisman, STS-132 mission specialist, takes a self portrait into his helmet visor while participating in the first of three spacewalks scheduled for the space shuttle Atlantis crew and their Expedition 23 hosts on May 17, 2010. NASA
Astronauts Michael Good, foreground, and Garrett Reisman, STS-132 mission specialists, work during the flight's final space walk at the International Space Station on May 21, 2010. NASA
Space shuttle Atlantis is seen as it approaches the International Space Station during STS-132 rendezvous and docking operations on May 16, 2010 in space. Docking occurred at 9:28 a.m. (CDT) on May 16, 2010. NASA
As seen from the International Space Station,space shuttle Atlantis approaches the station for docking on May 16, 2010. NASA
The view of the underside of the crew cabin of the space shuttle Atlantis during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station on Flight Day Three on May 16, 2010 in space. NASA
The view of the crew cabin and forward payload of the space shuttle Atlantis during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station on Flight Day Three on May 16, 2010 in space. NASA
Expedition 23 crew members take pictures from the crew cabin of the space shuttle Atlantis during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station on Flight Day Three on May 16, 2010 in space. NASA
The view of the nose of the space shuttle Atlantis during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station on Flight Day Three on May 16, 2010 in space. NASA
A partial view of the port wing of the space shuttle Atlantis during a survey of the approaching STS-132 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station on Flight Day Three on May 16, 2010 in space. NASA
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