Space shuttle Atlantis payload bay doors are open to elevate 26 feet from the ground.

At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis’ payload bay doors are open and the orbiter has been tilted at a 43.21 angle to the portside and supported by special jacks to elevate it 26 feet from the ground. The robotic arm has been installed in the payload bay. The new “Space Shuttle Atlantis” exhibit, a 90,000-square-foot facility, is scheduled to open June 29, 2013.

The new $100 million facility will include interactive exhibits that tell the story of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program and highlight the future of space exploration. Visitors to the exhibit will get an up close look at Atlantis with its payload bay doors open, similar to how it looked in space. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann