Space Shuttle Era Ends with Atlantis Landing!

Space shuttle Atlantis touched down on the Shuttle Landing Facility’s Runway 15 at 5:57 a.m. EDT on July 21. After 200 orbits around Earth and a journey of 5,284,862 miles, the landing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida brought to a close 30 years of space shuttle flights.

“Although we got to take the ride,” said Commander Chris Ferguson on behalf of his crew, ” we sure hope that everybody who has ever worked on, or touched, or looked at, or envied or admired a space shuttle was able to take just a little part of the journey with us.”

The STS-135 crew consisted of Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim.

“I really want to thank the space shuttle team and the Space Shuttle Program for just a tremendous effort today and throughout the entire history of the program. We gave them a tremendous challenge to fly and execute these missions and to finish strong and I can tell you today that the team accomplished every one of those objectives,” said Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier as he addressed the media at the post-landing news conference. “I’d also like to thank the nation for allowing us to have these thirty years to go use the shuttle system.”

“It is great to have Atlantis safely home after a tremendously successful mission — and home to stay,” said Bob Cabana, Kennedy Space Center director, referencing Atlantis’ retirement at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex.

“I’m unbelievably proud to be here representing the Space Shuttle Program and the thousands of people across the country who do the work,” said Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager. “Hearing the sonic booms as Atlantis came home for the last time really drove it home to me that this has been a heck of a program.”

“The workers out here and across the country in the Space Shuttle Program have dedicated their lives, their hearts and their souls to this program, and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director at Kennedy.

A welcome home ceremony for the astronauts will be held Friday, July 22, in Houston. The public is invited to attend the 4 p.m. CDT event at NASA’s Hangar 990 at Ellington Field. Gates to Ellington Field will open at 3:30 p.m. The ceremony will be broadcast live on NASA Television.

On the 13-day mission, the STS-135 crew delivered to the International Space Station more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, spare equipment and other supplies in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, including 2,677 pounds of food. The supplies will sustain space station operations for the next year. The 21-foot long, 15-foot diameter Raffaello brought back nearly 5,700 pounds of unneeded materials from the station.

Atlantis’s Final Landing at Kennedy Space Center

STS-135 Mission Highlights

After over 30 years of Sucess America’s Space Shuttle Program is Quickly Coming to an End!

As the 30 year plus Space Shuttle program comes to a close it’s hard to focus on just one accomplishment.  From launching and retrieving satellites, to maintenance and repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, to the construction and supply missions of the International Space Station.  The Space Transportation System (Space Shuttle) has been truly a remarkable workhorse of America’s manned space program.  Not to mention the science that has been conducted on board.  Medical breakthroughs that have aided in better artificial hearts, better medicines for the treatment of such diseases like cancer, and the study of fluid dynamics has led to better fuels and fuel economy for automobiles.  These are just a few contributions it has made for all mankind. 

          For over three decades this amazing technological wonder has amazed us with its accomplishments. We have also shared in the grief and tragedy with the loss of Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003.  However the Space Shuttle for its entire spender can’t do the things it does alone.  It takes not only a crew of astronauts to carry out the tasks but, thousands of dedicated men and women from around the country.  They work for a company where “Failure is Not an Option!” these men and women are proud of what they do and are fully aware of the astronaut lives that sit atop this explosive rocket ship.  These astronauts risk their lives time after time for the benefit of all of us on earth.  I would like to express my gratitude and thanks for all the men and women past and present who have dedicated their lives to make the near impossible look easy!

            The Space Shuttle has completed every goal that has been put before it.  If that’s the case then why retire this American icon?  The reason is simple, although it has been an incredible flying machine there is one thing that the shuttle cannot do, and that is leave low earth orbit.  We have been flying in low earth orbit for 50 years and if we as human beings want to go out and explore deep space by going back to the moon, a nearby asteroid, or mars and beyond then the space shuttle will not get us there.  We need a vehicle like the Orion M.P.C.V. (multipurpose crew vehicle) that will not only take us places like the space station but also beyond it.  So as we say farewell to the Space Shuttle Program and we should take some time to reflect on its amazing accomplishments it made and look with hope and promise toward a bright future of American manned space flight.

 Take a moment to view these great videos, they are really awe inspiring! 

STS-135 Ascent Imagery Highlights

Launching Our Dreams

  

   *** Impotant Note:

 Space shuttle Atlantis’ crew is wrapping up final preparations for its Planned Landing at 5:56:58 a.m. EDT Tomorrow at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  Best way to watch the landing is on tv.  You can watch it on regular tv, NASA TV (Here are some of the channels for Florida residents: Channel 212 on Direct TV, 144 on Brighthouse Cable), or view it over the internet by going to www.nasa.gov/ntv.  The crew stowed the Ku-Band antenna, used for high-data rate communications and television from space, at 11:34 a.m. and will go to sleep at 1:29 p.m.

Mission managers have cleared Atlantis’ heat shield for entry after reviewing results of the “late inspection” survey of the shuttle’s reinforced carbon carbon.

The STS-135 landing ground tracks for Thursday’s two Kennedy landing opportunities are here: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/news/landing.html

The official Spaceflight Meteorology Group landing forecast for Kennedy remains very favorable.

 * For all the updates on Atlantis STS-135 the last Space Shuttle flight go to: www.nasa.gov 

 

GOD SPEED THE FINAL HOURS OF ATLANTIS AND THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM!

 



Space Shuttle Atlantis due home, ending more then 30 year of the Space Shuttle Program

Atlantis is scheduled to come home early Thursday morning, bringing an end to its STS-135 mission and the space shuttle program. Landing opportunities are at 5:56 a.m. and 7:32 a.m. EDT.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Docked with the International Space Station one Final Time!!!

CONTACT AND CAPTURE CONFIRMED! Atlantis docking with the space station for the final time at 11:07 EDT. !

Final Launch of the Space Shuttle Program

Space Shuttle Atlantis is targeted for launch on mission STS-135 on Friday July 8^th 2011 at 11:26am EDT.  This will be the last launch of Atlantis and last one of the Space Shuttle program.  Last May I was able to witness Endeavour’s last launch as it rocketed in to space for the final time.  I had the privilege of being one of the few people to see it from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex.

Now that we are a little more than a week away from the final launch of America’s space shuttle, reality is starting to set in that this is it.  There will be no more.  I plan on going to the Cape one more time to witness this amazing machine roar in to space.  As I think about the last launch of the shuttle the words bitter sweet comes to mind.  I grew up during the shuttle era and have always thought of the Space Shuttle as an amazing flying machine.  However I know that it is costly very complicated and safety has always been an issue.  With that said the shuttle has done some remarkable things over its 30 year career.  Some of its more well-known accomplishments have been construction of the Space Station and deployment and servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope, which could have never been done with any other rocket.

What really impresses me about the Shuttle program is not just the technology, science, or discoveries it has made.  Although it’s true those things are all impressive, but it’s the human aspect of it.  The people we hear most about are the astronaut heroes that risk their lives every time they fly into space to try to make our lives better here on earth.  But there are thousands of men and women behind the scenes at NASA that keep the shuttles flying time after time, mission after mission, and year after year.  To me they are all heroes.    

When Atlantis lands after its mission is over and we hear the famous “wheel stop Houston” for the final time, Atlantis along with Discovery and Endeavour will make one final flight and that will be to a museum and it will be the end of an era.  

With the knowledge the shuttle program has taught us we set our eyes toward the future and the next generation of human space vehicles.  Vehicles that will take us back to the space station, mars, and beyond.  A special thanks to all the men and women who have kept America’s space shuttles flying and kept our astronauts safe.