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NASA spaceport breaks ground for display of shuttle Atlantis

The Associated Press Published Wednesday, January 18, 2012 12:55PM EST

Space shuttle Atlantis comes to a complete stop at the Kennedy Space Center landing strip at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Thursday, July 21, 2011. The landing of Atlantis marks the end of NASA's 30 year space shuttle program. (AP / Terry Renna)

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's retired space shuttle Atlantis is a step closer to completing its final journey.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex broke ground Wednesday in Florida for the permanent home of Atlantis. The US$100 million exhibit will open in summer 2013.

NASA's 30-year shuttle program ended last July with the voyage of Atlantis.

Shuttle Discovery will be the first to ship out to museums. In April, it will head to the National Air and Space Museum's display hangar outside Washington. Shuttle Endeavour will travel some months later to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.