Final Shuttle Mission

12 24H > WORLD FRIDAY-SUNDAY JULY 22-24 2011 5:57 $200B 180 100 135 37 12 5.2M Total development and operational costs of the 40-year shuttle program Spinoff technolo- gies for medical, industrial uses The time (a.m.) Satellites NASA Years to complete The distance Total number of shuttle missions Atlantis travelled shuttles have carried into orbit that Atlantis the I.S.S. touched down I.S.S. missions in its final mission THE END OF AN ERA Canadarm: Robotic Cana- Down to Earth dian-built arm gave the ability to launch, repair, or recover satellites while in orbit. REUTERS – The space shuttle Atlantis returned from NASA's grown women crying today, space flight history. final shuttle mission Thursday, tears of joy to be sure," said shut- ending a 30-year era that opened tle launch director Mike Lein- Ferguson radioed to Mission the space frontier, exposed its bach. dangers and established a toe- hold for future endeavours be- clear and moonlit night, Atlantis Bob Cabana later told reporters: yond Earth. NASA workers lined the run- gently steered the 100-ton the last couple of years to safely way at the Kennedy Space Cen- spaceship high overhead, then fly out the shuttle program, and ter before dawn to greet Atlantis nose-dived toward the swamp- we accomplished that." and its crew upon their return surrounded landing strip a few from a successful 13-day cargo miles from where Atlantis will run to the International Space goon display as a museum piece. Station and to celebrate the con- clusion of the shuttle program the runway at 5:57 am, ending a after 135 flights. "I saw grown men and and closing a key chapter in human "Mission complete, Houston," Control. Sailing through an unusually Kennedy Space Center director NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS commander Chris Ferguson "It's been our number one goal Payload bay: Shuttle can de- liver 24,400kg Ferguson eased Atlantis onto Final flight completed 00 5.2 million-mile journey and to low earth orbit. SRBS: Reusable solid rocket mo- The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an Final Mission: Atlantis Space shuttle Atlantis is pictured while still docked with tors consists of four emotional roller coaster steel segments, lined with solid propellant. Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30- the International Space Station on July 18. year undertaking is over. The shuttle Atlantis re- O-ring: The part that failed on tuned from a 13-day mis- sion to deliver cargo to the International Space Sta- tion before dawn Thurs- Challenger in 1986. Safety in numbers day, completing the 135th and final flight. NASA downsized the crew for the final flight of its shuttle program as a safety pre- caution. Instead of the usual six- or seven- person crew, only four astronauts were aboard the Atlantis on its 13-day cargo run to the International Space Station. 450,000kg STS-1 STS-9 STS-51-L STS-101 Jan 28, 1986: Apr 12, 1981: Columbia flies first shuttle mission, mak- ing 37 orbits of Earth during two-day flight. Nov 28, 1983: First May 19, 2000: Atlantis becomes first shuttle to fly with glass cockpit, replacing electro-me- The amount of propellant each SRB contains, comprising. six person mission, aboard Columbia, debuts the Spacelab, orbital laboratory housed in shuttle's Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoft, killing all seven crew. Accident forces two year suspension of shuttle program. Fuel: Atomized aluminum powder 16% 69.8% 0.2% 12% 2% STS-114 chanical instruments and gauges with flat panel screens. Jul 26, 2005: Discovery flies first shuttle mission after Columbia. Oxidizer: Ammonium perchlorate payload bay. ... 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 M 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Catalyst: Iron oxide powder Binder: Polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonite STS-5 STS-31 STS-135 Nov 11, 1982: Columbia carries shuttle's first four-person crew. It is also first operational shuttle mission, deploying two satellites. Apr 25, 1990: Hubble Space Tele- scope launched by shuttle Discovery. STS-107 Feb 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes from land- ing, during re-entry, searing hot gases seep into wing and incinerate shuttle Columbia, killing all seven crew. Final shuttle mission delivers Italian Raffaello Epoxy curing agent module to International Space Station. REUTERS/NASA 12 24H > WORLD FRIDAY-SUNDAY JULY 22-24 2011 5:57 $200B 180 100 135 37 12 5.2M Total development and operational costs of the 40-year shuttle program Spinoff technolo- gies for medical, industrial uses The time (a.m.) Satellites NASA Years to complete The distance Total number of shuttle missions Atlantis travelled shuttles have carried into orbit that Atlantis the I.S.S. touched down I.S.S. missions in its final mission THE END OF AN ERA Canadarm: Robotic Cana- Down to Earth dian-built arm gave the ability to launch, repair, or recover satellites while in orbit. REUTERS – The space shuttle Atlantis returned from NASA's grown women crying today, space flight history. final shuttle mission Thursday, tears of joy to be sure," said shut- ending a 30-year era that opened tle launch director Mike Lein- Ferguson radioed to Mission the space frontier, exposed its bach. dangers and established a toe- hold for future endeavours be- clear and moonlit night, Atlantis Bob Cabana later told reporters: yond Earth. NASA workers lined the run- gently steered the 100-ton the last couple of years to safely way at the Kennedy Space Cen- spaceship high overhead, then fly out the shuttle program, and ter before dawn to greet Atlantis nose-dived toward the swamp- we accomplished that." and its crew upon their return surrounded landing strip a few from a successful 13-day cargo miles from where Atlantis will run to the International Space goon display as a museum piece. Station and to celebrate the con- clusion of the shuttle program the runway at 5:57 am, ending a after 135 flights. "I saw grown men and and closing a key chapter in human "Mission complete, Houston," Control. Sailing through an unusually Kennedy Space Center director NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS commander Chris Ferguson "It's been our number one goal Payload bay: Shuttle can de- liver 24,400kg Ferguson eased Atlantis onto Final flight completed 00 5.2 million-mile journey and to low earth orbit. SRBS: Reusable solid rocket mo- The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an Final Mission: Atlantis Space shuttle Atlantis is pictured while still docked with tors consists of four emotional roller coaster steel segments, lined with solid propellant. Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30- the International Space Station on July 18. year undertaking is over. The shuttle Atlantis re- O-ring: The part that failed on tuned from a 13-day mis- sion to deliver cargo to the International Space Sta- tion before dawn Thurs- Challenger in 1986. Safety in numbers day, completing the 135th and final flight. NASA downsized the crew for the final flight of its shuttle program as a safety pre- caution. Instead of the usual six- or seven- person crew, only four astronauts were aboard the Atlantis on its 13-day cargo run to the International Space Station. 450,000kg STS-1 STS-9 STS-51-L STS-101 Jan 28, 1986: Apr 12, 1981: Columbia flies first shuttle mission, mak- ing 37 orbits of Earth during two-day flight. Nov 28, 1983: First May 19, 2000: Atlantis becomes first shuttle to fly with glass cockpit, replacing electro-me- The amount of propellant each SRB contains, comprising. six person mission, aboard Columbia, debuts the Spacelab, orbital laboratory housed in shuttle's Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoft, killing all seven crew. Accident forces two year suspension of shuttle program. Fuel: Atomized aluminum powder 16% 69.8% 0.2% 12% 2% STS-114 chanical instruments and gauges with flat panel screens. Jul 26, 2005: Discovery flies first shuttle mission after Columbia. Oxidizer: Ammonium perchlorate payload bay. ... 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 M 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Catalyst: Iron oxide powder Binder: Polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonite STS-5 STS-31 STS-135 Nov 11, 1982: Columbia carries shuttle's first four-person crew. It is also first operational shuttle mission, deploying two satellites. Apr 25, 1990: Hubble Space Tele- scope launched by shuttle Discovery. STS-107 Feb 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes from land- ing, during re-entry, searing hot gases seep into wing and incinerate shuttle Columbia, killing all seven crew. Final shuttle mission delivers Italian Raffaello Epoxy curing agent module to International Space Station. REUTERS/NASA 12 24H > WORLD FRIDAY-SUNDAY JULY 22-24 2011 5:57 $200B 180 100 135 37 12 5.2M Total development and operational costs of the 40-year shuttle program Spinoff technolo- gies for medical, industrial uses The time (a.m.) Satellites NASA Years to complete The distance Total number of shuttle missions Atlantis travelled shuttles have carried into orbit that Atlantis the I.S.S. touched down I.S.S. missions in its final mission THE END OF AN ERA Canadarm: Robotic Cana- Down to Earth dian-built arm gave the ability to launch, repair, or recover satellites while in orbit. REUTERS – The space shuttle Atlantis returned from NASA's grown women crying today, space flight history. final shuttle mission Thursday, tears of joy to be sure," said shut- ending a 30-year era that opened tle launch director Mike Lein- Ferguson radioed to Mission the space frontier, exposed its bach. dangers and established a toe- hold for future endeavours be- clear and moonlit night, Atlantis Bob Cabana later told reporters: yond Earth. NASA workers lined the run- gently steered the 100-ton the last couple of years to safely way at the Kennedy Space Cen- spaceship high overhead, then fly out the shuttle program, and ter before dawn to greet Atlantis nose-dived toward the swamp- we accomplished that." and its crew upon their return surrounded landing strip a few from a successful 13-day cargo miles from where Atlantis will run to the International Space goon display as a museum piece. Station and to celebrate the con- clusion of the shuttle program the runway at 5:57 am, ending a after 135 flights. "I saw grown men and and closing a key chapter in human "Mission complete, Houston," Control. Sailing through an unusually Kennedy Space Center director NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS commander Chris Ferguson "It's been our number one goal Payload bay: Shuttle can de- liver 24,400kg Ferguson eased Atlantis onto Final flight completed 00 5.2 million-mile journey and to low earth orbit. SRBS: Reusable solid rocket mo- The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an Final Mission: Atlantis Space shuttle Atlantis is pictured while still docked with tors consists of four emotional roller coaster steel segments, lined with solid propellant. Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30- the International Space Station on July 18. year undertaking is over. The shuttle Atlantis re- O-ring: The part that failed on tuned from a 13-day mis- sion to deliver cargo to the International Space Sta- tion before dawn Thurs- Challenger in 1986. Safety in numbers day, completing the 135th and final flight. NASA downsized the crew for the final flight of its shuttle program as a safety pre- caution. Instead of the usual six- or seven- person crew, only four astronauts were aboard the Atlantis on its 13-day cargo run to the International Space Station. 450,000kg STS-1 STS-9 STS-51-L STS-101 Jan 28, 1986: Apr 12, 1981: Columbia flies first shuttle mission, mak- ing 37 orbits of Earth during two-day flight. Nov 28, 1983: First May 19, 2000: Atlantis becomes first shuttle to fly with glass cockpit, replacing electro-me- The amount of propellant each SRB contains, comprising. six person mission, aboard Columbia, debuts the Spacelab, orbital laboratory housed in shuttle's Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoft, killing all seven crew. Accident forces two year suspension of shuttle program. Fuel: Atomized aluminum powder 16% 69.8% 0.2% 12% 2% STS-114 chanical instruments and gauges with flat panel screens. Jul 26, 2005: Discovery flies first shuttle mission after Columbia. Oxidizer: Ammonium perchlorate payload bay. ... 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 M 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Catalyst: Iron oxide powder Binder: Polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonite STS-5 STS-31 STS-135 Nov 11, 1982: Columbia carries shuttle's first four-person crew. It is also first operational shuttle mission, deploying two satellites. Apr 25, 1990: Hubble Space Tele- scope launched by shuttle Discovery. STS-107 Feb 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes from land- ing, during re-entry, searing hot gases seep into wing and incinerate shuttle Columbia, killing all seven crew. Final shuttle mission delivers Italian Raffaello Epoxy curing agent module to International Space Station. REUTERS/NASA 12 24H > WORLD FRIDAY-SUNDAY JULY 22-24 2011 5:57 $200B 180 100 135 37 12 5.2M Total development and operational costs of the 40-year shuttle program Spinoff technolo- gies for medical, industrial uses The time (a.m.) Satellites NASA Years to complete The distance Total number of shuttle missions Atlantis travelled shuttles have carried into orbit that Atlantis the I.S.S. touched down I.S.S. missions in its final mission THE END OF AN ERA Canadarm: Robotic Cana- Down to Earth dian-built arm gave the ability to launch, repair, or recover satellites while in orbit. REUTERS – The space shuttle Atlantis returned from NASA's grown women crying today, space flight history. final shuttle mission Thursday, tears of joy to be sure," said shut- ending a 30-year era that opened tle launch director Mike Lein- Ferguson radioed to Mission the space frontier, exposed its bach. dangers and established a toe- hold for future endeavours be- clear and moonlit night, Atlantis Bob Cabana later told reporters: yond Earth. NASA workers lined the run- gently steered the 100-ton the last couple of years to safely way at the Kennedy Space Cen- spaceship high overhead, then fly out the shuttle program, and ter before dawn to greet Atlantis nose-dived toward the swamp- we accomplished that." and its crew upon their return surrounded landing strip a few from a successful 13-day cargo miles from where Atlantis will run to the International Space goon display as a museum piece. Station and to celebrate the con- clusion of the shuttle program the runway at 5:57 am, ending a after 135 flights. "I saw grown men and and closing a key chapter in human "Mission complete, Houston," Control. Sailing through an unusually Kennedy Space Center director NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS commander Chris Ferguson "It's been our number one goal Payload bay: Shuttle can de- liver 24,400kg Ferguson eased Atlantis onto Final flight completed 00 5.2 million-mile journey and to low earth orbit. SRBS: Reusable solid rocket mo- The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an Final Mission: Atlantis Space shuttle Atlantis is pictured while still docked with tors consists of four emotional roller coaster steel segments, lined with solid propellant. Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30- the International Space Station on July 18. year undertaking is over. The shuttle Atlantis re- O-ring: The part that failed on tuned from a 13-day mis- sion to deliver cargo to the International Space Sta- tion before dawn Thurs- Challenger in 1986. Safety in numbers day, completing the 135th and final flight. NASA downsized the crew for the final flight of its shuttle program as a safety pre- caution. Instead of the usual six- or seven- person crew, only four astronauts were aboard the Atlantis on its 13-day cargo run to the International Space Station. 450,000kg STS-1 STS-9 STS-51-L STS-101 Jan 28, 1986: Apr 12, 1981: Columbia flies first shuttle mission, mak- ing 37 orbits of Earth during two-day flight. Nov 28, 1983: First May 19, 2000: Atlantis becomes first shuttle to fly with glass cockpit, replacing electro-me- The amount of propellant each SRB contains, comprising. six person mission, aboard Columbia, debuts the Spacelab, orbital laboratory housed in shuttle's Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoft, killing all seven crew. Accident forces two year suspension of shuttle program. Fuel: Atomized aluminum powder 16% 69.8% 0.2% 12% 2% STS-114 chanical instruments and gauges with flat panel screens. Jul 26, 2005: Discovery flies first shuttle mission after Columbia. Oxidizer: Ammonium perchlorate payload bay. ... 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 M 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Catalyst: Iron oxide powder Binder: Polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonite STS-5 STS-31 STS-135 Nov 11, 1982: Columbia carries shuttle's first four-person crew. It is also first operational shuttle mission, deploying two satellites. Apr 25, 1990: Hubble Space Tele- scope launched by shuttle Discovery. STS-107 Feb 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes from land- ing, during re-entry, searing hot gases seep into wing and incinerate shuttle Columbia, killing all seven crew. Final shuttle mission delivers Italian Raffaello Epoxy curing agent module to International Space Station. REUTERS/NASA 12 24H > WORLD FRIDAY-SUNDAY JULY 22-24 2011 5:57 $200B 180 100 135 37 12 5.2M Total development and operational costs of the 40-year shuttle program Spinoff technolo- gies for medical, industrial uses The time (a.m.) Satellites NASA Years to complete The distance Total number of shuttle missions Atlantis travelled shuttles have carried into orbit that Atlantis the I.S.S. touched down I.S.S. missions in its final mission THE END OF AN ERA Canadarm: Robotic Cana- Down to Earth dian-built arm gave the ability to launch, repair, or recover satellites while in orbit. REUTERS – The space shuttle Atlantis returned from NASA's grown women crying today, space flight history. final shuttle mission Thursday, tears of joy to be sure," said shut- ending a 30-year era that opened tle launch director Mike Lein- Ferguson radioed to Mission the space frontier, exposed its bach. dangers and established a toe- hold for future endeavours be- clear and moonlit night, Atlantis Bob Cabana later told reporters: yond Earth. NASA workers lined the run- gently steered the 100-ton the last couple of years to safely way at the Kennedy Space Cen- spaceship high overhead, then fly out the shuttle program, and ter before dawn to greet Atlantis nose-dived toward the swamp- we accomplished that." and its crew upon their return surrounded landing strip a few from a successful 13-day cargo miles from where Atlantis will run to the International Space goon display as a museum piece. Station and to celebrate the con- clusion of the shuttle program the runway at 5:57 am, ending a after 135 flights. "I saw grown men and and closing a key chapter in human "Mission complete, Houston," Control. Sailing through an unusually Kennedy Space Center director NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS commander Chris Ferguson "It's been our number one goal Payload bay: Shuttle can de- liver 24,400kg Ferguson eased Atlantis onto Final flight completed 00 5.2 million-mile journey and to low earth orbit. SRBS: Reusable solid rocket mo- The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an Final Mission: Atlantis Space shuttle Atlantis is pictured while still docked with tors consists of four emotional roller coaster steel segments, lined with solid propellant. Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30- the International Space Station on July 18. year undertaking is over. The shuttle Atlantis re- O-ring: The part that failed on tuned from a 13-day mis- sion to deliver cargo to the International Space Sta- tion before dawn Thurs- Challenger in 1986. Safety in numbers day, completing the 135th and final flight. NASA downsized the crew for the final flight of its shuttle program as a safety pre- caution. Instead of the usual six- or seven- person crew, only four astronauts were aboard the Atlantis on its 13-day cargo run to the International Space Station. 450,000kg STS-1 STS-9 STS-51-L STS-101 Jan 28, 1986: Apr 12, 1981: Columbia flies first shuttle mission, mak- ing 37 orbits of Earth during two-day flight. Nov 28, 1983: First May 19, 2000: Atlantis becomes first shuttle to fly with glass cockpit, replacing electro-me- The amount of propellant each SRB contains, comprising. six person mission, aboard Columbia, debuts the Spacelab, orbital laboratory housed in shuttle's Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoft, killing all seven crew. Accident forces two year suspension of shuttle program. Fuel: Atomized aluminum powder 16% 69.8% 0.2% 12% 2% STS-114 chanical instruments and gauges with flat panel screens. Jul 26, 2005: Discovery flies first shuttle mission after Columbia. Oxidizer: Ammonium perchlorate payload bay. ... 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 M 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Catalyst: Iron oxide powder Binder: Polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonite STS-5 STS-31 STS-135 Nov 11, 1982: Columbia carries shuttle's first four-person crew. It is also first operational shuttle mission, deploying two satellites. Apr 25, 1990: Hubble Space Tele- scope launched by shuttle Discovery. STS-107 Feb 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes from land- ing, during re-entry, searing hot gases seep into wing and incinerate shuttle Columbia, killing all seven crew. Final shuttle mission delivers Italian Raffaello Epoxy curing agent module to International Space Station. REUTERS/NASA 12 24H > WORLD FRIDAY-SUNDAY JULY 22-24 2011 5:57 $200B 180 100 135 37 12 5.2M Total development and operational costs of the 40-year shuttle program Spinoff technolo- gies for medical, industrial uses The time (a.m.) Satellites NASA Years to complete The distance Total number of shuttle missions Atlantis travelled shuttles have carried into orbit that Atlantis the I.S.S. touched down I.S.S. missions in its final mission THE END OF AN ERA Canadarm: Robotic Cana- Down to Earth dian-built arm gave the ability to launch, repair, or recover satellites while in orbit. REUTERS – The space shuttle Atlantis returned from NASA's grown women crying today, space flight history. final shuttle mission Thursday, tears of joy to be sure," said shut- ending a 30-year era that opened tle launch director Mike Lein- Ferguson radioed to Mission the space frontier, exposed its bach. dangers and established a toe- hold for future endeavours be- clear and moonlit night, Atlantis Bob Cabana later told reporters: yond Earth. NASA workers lined the run- gently steered the 100-ton the last couple of years to safely way at the Kennedy Space Cen- spaceship high overhead, then fly out the shuttle program, and ter before dawn to greet Atlantis nose-dived toward the swamp- we accomplished that." and its crew upon their return surrounded landing strip a few from a successful 13-day cargo miles from where Atlantis will run to the International Space goon display as a museum piece. Station and to celebrate the con- clusion of the shuttle program the runway at 5:57 am, ending a after 135 flights. "I saw grown men and and closing a key chapter in human "Mission complete, Houston," Control. Sailing through an unusually Kennedy Space Center director NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS commander Chris Ferguson "It's been our number one goal Payload bay: Shuttle can de- liver 24,400kg Ferguson eased Atlantis onto Final flight completed 00 5.2 million-mile journey and to low earth orbit. SRBS: Reusable solid rocket mo- The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an Final Mission: Atlantis Space shuttle Atlantis is pictured while still docked with tors consists of four emotional roller coaster steel segments, lined with solid propellant. Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30- the International Space Station on July 18. year undertaking is over. The shuttle Atlantis re- O-ring: The part that failed on tuned from a 13-day mis- sion to deliver cargo to the International Space Sta- tion before dawn Thurs- Challenger in 1986. Safety in numbers day, completing the 135th and final flight. NASA downsized the crew for the final flight of its shuttle program as a safety pre- caution. Instead of the usual six- or seven- person crew, only four astronauts were aboard the Atlantis on its 13-day cargo run to the International Space Station. 450,000kg STS-1 STS-9 STS-51-L STS-101 Jan 28, 1986: Apr 12, 1981: Columbia flies first shuttle mission, mak- ing 37 orbits of Earth during two-day flight. Nov 28, 1983: First May 19, 2000: Atlantis becomes first shuttle to fly with glass cockpit, replacing electro-me- The amount of propellant each SRB contains, comprising. six person mission, aboard Columbia, debuts the Spacelab, orbital laboratory housed in shuttle's Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoft, killing all seven crew. Accident forces two year suspension of shuttle program. Fuel: Atomized aluminum powder 16% 69.8% 0.2% 12% 2% STS-114 chanical instruments and gauges with flat panel screens. Jul 26, 2005: Discovery flies first shuttle mission after Columbia. Oxidizer: Ammonium perchlorate payload bay. ... 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 M 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Catalyst: Iron oxide powder Binder: Polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonite STS-5 STS-31 STS-135 Nov 11, 1982: Columbia carries shuttle's first four-person crew. It is also first operational shuttle mission, deploying two satellites. Apr 25, 1990: Hubble Space Tele- scope launched by shuttle Discovery. STS-107 Feb 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes from land- ing, during re-entry, searing hot gases seep into wing and incinerate shuttle Columbia, killing all seven crew. Final shuttle mission delivers Italian Raffaello Epoxy curing agent module to International Space Station. REUTERS/NASA 12 24H > WORLD FRIDAY-SUNDAY JULY 22-24 2011 5:57 $200B 180 100 135 37 12 5.2M Total development and operational costs of the 40-year shuttle program Spinoff technolo- gies for medical, industrial uses The time (a.m.) Satellites NASA Years to complete The distance Total number of shuttle missions Atlantis travelled shuttles have carried into orbit that Atlantis the I.S.S. touched down I.S.S. missions in its final mission THE END OF AN ERA Canadarm: Robotic Cana- Down to Earth dian-built arm gave the ability to launch, repair, or recover satellites while in orbit. REUTERS – The space shuttle Atlantis returned from NASA's grown women crying today, space flight history. final shuttle mission Thursday, tears of joy to be sure," said shut- ending a 30-year era that opened tle launch director Mike Lein- Ferguson radioed to Mission the space frontier, exposed its bach. dangers and established a toe- hold for future endeavours be- clear and moonlit night, Atlantis Bob Cabana later told reporters: yond Earth. NASA workers lined the run- gently steered the 100-ton the last couple of years to safely way at the Kennedy Space Cen- spaceship high overhead, then fly out the shuttle program, and ter before dawn to greet Atlantis nose-dived toward the swamp- we accomplished that." and its crew upon their return surrounded landing strip a few from a successful 13-day cargo miles from where Atlantis will run to the International Space goon display as a museum piece. Station and to celebrate the con- clusion of the shuttle program the runway at 5:57 am, ending a after 135 flights. "I saw grown men and and closing a key chapter in human "Mission complete, Houston," Control. Sailing through an unusually Kennedy Space Center director NASA, ASSOCIATED PRESS commander Chris Ferguson "It's been our number one goal Payload bay: Shuttle can de- liver 24,400kg Ferguson eased Atlantis onto Final flight completed 00 5.2 million-mile journey and to low earth orbit. SRBS: Reusable solid rocket mo- The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an Final Mission: Atlantis Space shuttle Atlantis is pictured while still docked with tors consists of four emotional roller coaster steel segments, lined with solid propellant. Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30- the International Space Station on July 18. year undertaking is over. The shuttle Atlantis re- O-ring: The part that failed on tuned from a 13-day mis- sion to deliver cargo to the International Space Sta- tion before dawn Thurs- Challenger in 1986. Safety in numbers day, completing the 135th and final flight. NASA downsized the crew for the final flight of its shuttle program as a safety pre- caution. Instead of the usual six- or seven- person crew, only four astronauts were aboard the Atlantis on its 13-day cargo run to the International Space Station. 450,000kg STS-1 STS-9 STS-51-L STS-101 Jan 28, 1986: Apr 12, 1981: Columbia flies first shuttle mission, mak- ing 37 orbits of Earth during two-day flight. Nov 28, 1983: First May 19, 2000: Atlantis becomes first shuttle to fly with glass cockpit, replacing electro-me- The amount of propellant each SRB contains, comprising. six person mission, aboard Columbia, debuts the Spacelab, orbital laboratory housed in shuttle's Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoft, killing all seven crew. Accident forces two year suspension of shuttle program. Fuel: Atomized aluminum powder 16% 69.8% 0.2% 12% 2% STS-114 chanical instruments and gauges with flat panel screens. Jul 26, 2005: Discovery flies first shuttle mission after Columbia. Oxidizer: Ammonium perchlorate payload bay. ... 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 M 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Catalyst: Iron oxide powder Binder: Polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonite STS-5 STS-31 STS-135 Nov 11, 1982: Columbia carries shuttle's first four-person crew. It is also first operational shuttle mission, deploying two satellites. Apr 25, 1990: Hubble Space Tele- scope launched by shuttle Discovery. STS-107 Feb 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes from land- ing, during re-entry, searing hot gases seep into wing and incinerate shuttle Columbia, killing all seven crew. Final shuttle mission delivers Italian Raffaello Epoxy curing agent module to International Space Station. REUTERS/NASA