Boeing [NYSE: BA] has provided critical parts Space Shuttle Atlantis carried to the International Space Station (ISS). The parts include six replacement batteries and a space-to-ground antenna (SGANT) with accompanying boom assembly.

The six batteries will be installed on the ISS' port truss to replace old batteries that Atlantis will bring back to Earth. The batteries provide power while the ISS is in the Earth's shadow for approximately 30 minutes of each 90-minute orbit. The SGANT will increase the ISS's ability to conduct two-way data, voice, and video communications. These additional capabilities are important to the station's future operations as crews move from assembling the ISS to fully making use of it for earth sciences and space-based science experiments.

Boeing's Checkout, Assembly and Payload Processing Services (CAPPS) team also prepared Atlantis' entire mission payload for launch, including the Russian Mini-Research Module 1 and spare parts for the ISS' Canadian Dextre robotic arm. The services and support Boeing provides under its CAPPS contract include planning for and receiving payloads, maintaining associated ground support systems, integrating payloads with the space shuttle, launch support, and space shuttle post-landing payload activities.