|
STS-135 Mission Coverage |
|
Photo spread: Atlantis moves to VAB, but only for storage
The shuffling of NASA's three retired space shuttle orbiters between the two remaining hangars at the Kennedy Space Center continued Friday morning as Atlantis was moved into a two-month storage at the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Check out our 5-page photo collection from the event.
 PHOTO GALLERY
|
|
Construction about to begin on Atlantis' new home
Kennedy Space Center tourism officials, Florida's lieutenant governor and the final space shuttle commander Wednesday morning broke ground on the $100 million complex that will showcase the retired orbiter Atlantis.
FULL STORY
FINAL FLIGHT OF ATLANTIS
VIDEO: FINAL MISSION ARCHIVE
HDTV:
HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO
|
|
Special photo gallery: Atlantis' cargo bay emptied
The final space shuttle payloads were removed from Atlantis' cargo bay Tuesday morning inside Kennedy Space Center's orbiter processing hangar. The Italian-made Raffaello logistics module and the failed ammonia coolant pump returned from the International Space Station during the July shuttle mission. Spaceflight Now had the rare opportunity to witness Tuesday's unloading operation and shoot this photo gallery.
PHOTO GALLERY
|
|
FINALITY OF THE MOMENT:
The shuttle program is over
The iconic soul of America's space program for the past 30 years slipped gracefully into history on a dark runway Thursday morning as the winged spaceship Atlantis made a poignant touchdown to conclude the shuttle program. The five remarkable flying machines launched on 135 missions, traveled 542,398,878 miles that spanned 21,152 orbits of the planet, and carried 355 humans and 3.5 million pounds of payloads as the Space Transportation System.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!
IMAGES: RE-ENTRY SEEN FROM SPACE
IMAGES: LANDING PHOTO GALLERY
IMAGES: ATLANTIS ON THE RUNWAY
IMAGES: SHUTTLE CREW THANKS WORKFORCE
VIDEO: FINAL SHUTTLE TV TRANSMISSION
SHUTTLE ENTRY GROUND TRACK
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. N (.pdf download)
STS-135 ARCHIVE
|
|
Space shuttle Atlantis landing just hours away
The final hours of the space shuttle program are ticking as Atlantis prepares for Thursday's predawn landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Touchdown on Runway 15 is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT to conclude three decades of flight for America's Space Transportation System.
WEATHER LOOKS PROMISING
|
|
Astronauts ready Atlantis for Thursday's landing
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis, working through one of the busiest days of their mission, tested the orbiter's re-entry systems Wednesday and packed up for landing Thursday to close out NASA's 135th and final shuttle mission.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. M (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
 VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 13 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
COMMANDER'S GOODNIGHT MESSAGE PLAY
VIDEO:
NETWORK TV INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREW PLAY
VIDEO:
WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
PICOSAT DEPLOYED FROM SPACE SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO:
TESTING OF ATLANTIS' AEROSURFACES PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Awe-inspiring onboard video views of Atlantis' launch
Take a ride on the final space shuttle launch with remarkable footage captured from cameras mounted on the solid rocket boosters, external fuel tank and even inside Atlantis' cockpit looking back at the astronauts. Check out these amazing videos of the spacecraft soaring to orbit, which are presented here for Spaceflight Now+Plus users with launch audio.
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
LAUNCH WITH THE ASTRONAUTS IN THE COCKPIT PLAY
VIDEO:
LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO:
LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO:
LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY
VIDEO:
RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO:
RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO:
RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY
VIDEO:
EXTERNAL TANK CAMERA FROM LIFTOFF TO SEPARATION PLAY
MORE:
STS-135 VIDEO COVERAGE
MORE:
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
International Space Station bids goodbye to the shuttle
The final space shuttle parted company with the International Space Station on Tuesday in a sentimental sendoff for America's winged machines that spent the past decade constructing the million-pound science complex and supplying the orbiting laboratory with vast loads of logistics. In 37 missions, the shuttles spent 276 days, 11 hours and 23 minutes docked at the station.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. L (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO:
TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
FINAL ORBITER HEAT SHIELD INSPECTIONS PLAY
VIDEO:
SHUTTLE'S FLYAROUND OF THE SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
STATION PERFORMS 90-DEGREE YAW MANEUVER PLAY
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS' UNDOCKING AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Raffaello cargo module returned to shuttle bay
In the dwindling hours of the shuttle program's last visit to the International Space Station, the Atlantis astronauts detached the bus-size Raffaello cargo module and moved it back to the shuttle's payload bay, wrapping up NASA's final shuttle-station resupply mission.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. K (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
FAREWELL CEREMONY FOR SHUTTLE CREW PLAY
VIDEO:
TIME-LAPSE OF RAFFAELLO OPERATIONS PLAY
VIDEO:
MODULE RETURNED TO SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO:
RAFFAELLO DETACHED FROM STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
ROBOT ARM GRAPPLES CARGO MODULE PLAY
VIDEO:
MONDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Station restocking completed by shuttle Atlantis crew
The Atlantis astronauts put in a final day of logistics transfer work Sunday, working through off-duty time to finish moving a last few items into the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module for return to Earth. If all goes well, the cargo module will be detached from the station's forward Harmony module and mounted back in the shuttle's payload bay early Monday, setting the stage for the ship's final departure from the lab complex Tuesday morning.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. K (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
SUNDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Shuttle crew repacking cargo module for Earth return
Work to move supplies and equipment into the International Space Station and to reload a shuttle cargo module with trash, packing material and no-longer-needed gear is about 78 percent complete as the Atlantis astronauts move into the home stretch of NASA's final shuttle mission.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. J (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
SATURDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Obama calls space to praise shuttle and station crews
President Barack Obama made a long distance call from the Oval Office to International Space Station Friday, congratulating the Atlantis astronauts and their station colleagues on the 135th and final space shuttle mission, vowing an "exciting new era" of post-shuttle exploration.
FULL STORY
ATLANTIS COMPUTER RESTARTED
MORNING STORY
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLS THE ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE PLAY
VIDEO:
SHUTTLE AND STATION CREW NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO:
FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
PHILLY TV AND RADIO AND REUTERS INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO:
CBS NEWS RADIO, PHILLY TV AND THE AP INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO:
FRIDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Computer shutdown triggers alarm and awakens crew
The Atlantis astronauts were awakened by a master alarm Thursday when one of the shuttle's five general purpose computers apparently failed, NASA officials said. GPC-4 was running systems management software at the time and commander Christopher Ferguson spent about 45 minutes loading that software into general purpose computer No. 2 before going back to bed.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. G (.pdf download)
STS-135 ARCHIVE
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
CHICAGO, OAKLAND AND PHILLY TV INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO:
FOX NEWS RADIO AND ST. LOUIS TV INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO:
THURSDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Astronauts now focusing on hectic cargo transfer work
With a final shuttle-era spacewalk behind them, the Atlantis astronauts focused on logistics transfers Wednesday, devoting their day to moving cargo and supplies from the shuttle's crew cabin and the Raffaello multi-purpose module into the International Space Station. They also took time for maintenance work, servicing the lab's U.S. toilet and restarting the crew's urine recycling system after standing down a day to let a strong odor dissipate.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. F (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
WEDNESDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Final spacewalk in the space shuttle era is complete
International Space Station residents Mike Fossum and Ron Garan stepped outside Tuesday to lend helping hands to the space shuttle mission, packing a failed ammonia coolant pump into Atlantis' payload bay for return to Earth and unloading a satellite servicing demonstrator carried to orbit aboard the visiting spaceplane. The spacewalkers also deployed a new materials science experiment, fixed a snagged wire in one of the station's robot arm operating bases and wrapped a vacant docking port with a thermal cover. This was the lone EVA planned for Atlantis' mission, bringing the spacewalking era for the space shuttle program to conclusion.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
ARCHIVE MISSION STATUS CENTER
IMAGES: ASTRONAUTS VENTURE OUTDOORS
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. E (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
FINAL SHUTTLE-ERA SPACEWALK CONCLUDES PLAY
VIDEO:
PROTECTIVE COVER PUT ON VACANT DOCKING PORT PLAY
VIDEO:
FIXING SNAGGED WIRE ON ZARYA GRAPPLE FIXTURE PLAY
VIDEO:
SPACEWALKER GOES SIGHT-SEEING HIGH ABOVE EARTH PLAY
VIDEO:
SATELLITE SERVICING DEMONSTRATOR GIVEN TO DEXTRE PLAY
VIDEO:
ROBOTIC REFUELING MISSION MOVED TO THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
SPACEWALKERS SWAP POSITIONS ABOARD ROBOT ARM PLAY
VIDEO:
PUMP STOWED IN ATLANTIS BAY FOR RETURN TO EARTH PLAY
VIDEO:
STUNNING VIEWS OF ASTRONAUT RIDING ROBOT ARM PLAY
VIDEO:
FAILED PUMP FREED FROM STORAGE BOX PLAY
VIDEO:
SPACEWALK NO. 1 GETS UNDERWAY PLAY
VIDEO:
STEP-BY-STEP PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK PLAY
VIDEO:
TUESDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Space station resupply pod hoisted from Atlantis' bay
A cargo-delivery module packed with 9,400 pounds of food, equipment and science gear departed shuttle Atlantis' payload bay Monday morning and parked at the International Space Station's doorway for unloading. Meanwhile, NASA has officially added an extra day to the shuttle mission.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
ARCHIVE MISSION STATUS CENTER
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. D (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
MONDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO:
MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
RAFFAELLO MODULE CONNECTED TO STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
CARGO-DELIVERY MODULE UNBERTHED FROM ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO:
ROBOT ARM GRAPPLES MODULE IN SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO:
MONDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
THE FULL STS-135 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO:
SHUTTLE ATLANTIS BLASTS OFF! PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
GO INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
THE POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD FRONT CAMERA PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 070 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 071 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER PLAY | HI-DEF
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Atlantis gracefully docks to International Space Station
America's final space shuttle has arrived at the International Space Station, the science laboratory it trucked piece by piece to orbit for assembly, to deliver one last massive load of goods and provisions that only the winged spaceplanes can carry.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
ARCHIVE MISSION STATUS CENTER
IMAGES: SHUTTLE MEETS UP WITH STATION
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. C (.pdf download)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO:
SUNDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO:
SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS CREW WELCOMED ABOARD STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
DOCKING OF SHUTTLE TO STATION AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
VIDEO:
SHUTTLE ARCS OUT IN FRONT OF SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS PERFORMS THE 360-DEGREE BACKFLIP PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Shuttle boosters back in port after final launch
The solid rocket boosters from the space shuttle's final launch are back in port. These images show one of the spent motor casings arriving back at Port Canaveral on Sunday.
IMAGES: BOOSTER TOWED INTO PORT
IMAGES: GOING THROUGH THE LOCK
| |
|
|
Astronauts give Atlantis full post-launch inspection
The Atlantis astronauts inspected the shuttle's heat shield Saturday and fine tuned the shuttle's approach to the International Space Station, setting their sights on docking at the lab's forward port around 11:07 a.m. EDT Sunday.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
ARCHIVE MISSION STATUS CENTER
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. B (.pdf download)
|
|
America's space shuttle blasts off on one last mission
After a cliff-hangar countdown, the space shuttle Atlantis thundered to life and majestically rocketed into history Friday, putting on one last sky show for spectators jamming area roads and beaches to witness NASA's 135th and final shuttle launch.
FULL STORY
ARCHIVE MISSION STATUS CENTER
LIGHTNING HITS THE LAUNCH PAD
IMAGES: SPECTACULAR SHUTTLE CLOSE-UPS
IMAGES: PRESS SITE LAUNCH PHOTOS
IMAGES: ATLANTIS REVEALED FOR LAUNCH
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. A (.pdf download)
LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
COUNTDOWN SCHEDULE
ASCENT EVENTS TIMELINE
MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
|
|
Mission preview: Shuttle finale brings uncertain future
NASA is readying the shuttle Atlantis for launch Friday on the iconic program's 135th and final flight, bringing the curtain down on one of the nation's greatest technological triumphs after more than three decades at the apex of manned spaceflight.
FULL REPORT
|
|
Painful retirement for space shuttle operations team
Atlantis' landing will come seven-and-a-half years after President George W. Bush, responding to the 2003 Columbia disaster, ordered NASA to complete the International Space Station and retire the space shuttle fleet by the end of the decade.
U.S. must rely upon the Russians for access to space
Reliance on the former Cold War rival has been a particularly bitter pill to swallow for many at NASA, forced to retire the most sophisticated manned spacecraft ever built before a U.S. replacement is available.
Dismantling remaining shuttle team looms
As NASA's fortunes have waxed and waned, buffeted by political upheaval, an economic crisis and uncertain public support, the one constant has been the shuttle's looming retirement and the slow but steady elimination of the program's highly skilled workforce.
Soyuz capsules would rescue Atlantis crew
Atlantis is using NASA's final set of solid-fuel boosters and its last external tank, so there isn't another shuttle waiting in the wings for a quick-response rescue mission if needed. Soyuz lifeboats will be used in such a dire scenario.
Atlantis' astronaut crew faces tight mission timeline
The day after takeoff will be particularly busy as the astronauts as they inspect the shuttle's heat shield, dock to the International Space Station and mount the Raffaello module onto the complex.
Station crew to do spacewalk chores on Atlantis visit
While the astronauts begin unloading the cargo module, fellow station residents Ron Garan and Mike Fossum will conduct the mission's only spacewalk.
The final shuttle re-entry
Hundreds of engineers, technicians, astronauts and NASA managers will be standing by to welcome Atlantis and its crew home and to "share the moment" as the shuttle program comes to an end after three decades.
|
|
Iffy weather forecast clouds Friday's launch plans
Forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday that could delay launch of the shuttle Atlantis. But barring a dramatic change for the worse, the chairman of NASA's mission management team says he plans to press ahead with flight preparations.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. 0 (.pdf download)
LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
COUNTDOWN SCHEDULE
MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
STS-135 ARCHIVE
| |
|
|
Shuttle Atlantis prepares to take flight for a final journey
As we prepare to say goodbye to the space shuttle, let's take a moment to reflect on the ship that will sail the final voyage this week with a look at Atlantis' history and a special photo tribute as she stands on the launch pad one last time.
HISTORY OF ATLANTIS
IMAGES: SPECIAL PHOTO TRIBUTE
|
|
Countdown commences for shuttle Atlantis' blastoff
Countdown clocks began ticking Tuesday for the shuttle Atlantis' launch Friday on NASA's 135th and final shuttle mission, a flight to deliver more than 8,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.
FULL STORY
IMAGES: L-MINUS 3 DAYS
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
COUNTDOWN PREVIEW AND WEATHER FORECAST BRIEFING PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Shuttle Atlantis astronauts arrive for Friday's launch
This was it. The last time a space shuttle crew will jet into the Kennedy Space Center to begin their countdown. And no one knows when the next time astronauts will come to the Florida spaceport to be launched from the planet.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!
IMAGES: LAST SHUTTLE CREW ARRIVES
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH SITE PLAY
VIDEO:
PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS FERGUSON PLAY
VIDEO:
PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH DOUG HURLEY PLAY
VIDEO:
PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH SANDY MAGNUS PLAY
VIDEO:
PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH REX WALHEIM PLAY
VIDEO:
SHUTTLE AND STATION PROGRAM BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
THE STS-135 MISSION OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS PLAY
VIDEO:
PREVIEW BRIEFING ON MISSION'S SPACEWALK PLAY
VIDEO:
THE ASTRONAUTS' PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Get to know Atlantis' crew: The final shuttle astronauts
Fergie, Chunky, Sandy and Rex. You can call them "the final four." They are the astronauts chosen to launch Atlantis into orbit Friday for the space shuttle program's grand finale.
FULL STORY
|
|
Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay doors sealed for flight
The 60-foot-long payload bay doors of space shuttle Atlantis were swung shut and latched for flight at pad 39A Wednesday. The next time the doors will be opened is in orbit, about 90 minutes after launch.
IMAGES: PHOTO GALLERY
|
|
NASA formally sets July 8 for final shuttle launch
Senior NASA officials held the final space shuttle flight readiness review at the Kennedy Space Center today and affirmed plans to launch Atlantis next week as scheduled.
FULL STORY
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS CLEARED FOR JULY 8 LAUNCH PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Station crew 'shelters in place' for debris threat
The six-member crew of the International Space Station was told to seek shelter in two Russian Soyuz spacecraft Tuesday because of a predicted close pass by an unknown piece of space debris. But the time of closest approach came and went harmlessly at 8:08 a.m. EDT.
FULL STORY
| |
|
|
Countdown dress rehearsal completed for Atlantis
Thursday morning was a practice launch day at the Kennedy Space Center for the shuttle Atlantis, her four-person astronaut crew and the various ground teams supporting the spacecraft's ascent to orbit.
FULL STORY
IMAGES: DAY'S PHOTO GALLERY
|
|
Shuttle tank inspections going well, valve replaced
Engineers carrying out X-ray inspections of rib-like "stringers" in the shuttle Atlantis' external tank are running ahead of schedule and so far, officials said Wednesday, there are no signs of any temperature-induced cracks in the wake of a fueling test last week. Working in parallel, another team has replaced a leaking hydrogen valve in main engine No. 3.
FULL STORY
|
|
Shuttle Atlantis crew takes armored tank for a spin
Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts Tuesday took turns test-driving an armored tank around Complex 39 as part of their emergency training exercises. The tank would be used by the crew to escape the pad 39A bunker in a dire scenario during the countdown.
PHOTO GALLERY
|
|
Shuttle crew comes to town for practice countdown
The four astronauts to fly Atlantis on the final space shuttle voyage have jetted into the Kennedy Space Center for this week's countdown dress rehearsal and emergency training drills.
FULL STORY
|
|
Shuttle Atlantis receives payloads for space station
A cargo-laden module stuffed with a full year's worth of necessities for the International Space Station was loaded into shuttle Atlantis' payload bay Monday to prepare for launch next month.
FULL STORY
IMAGES: PAYLOADS INSTALLED INTO ORBITER
|
|
Atlantis tank inspections, engine valve swap on tap
A hydrogen fuel valve in one of the shuttle Atlantis' three main engines that appeared to leak during an external tank fueling test Wednesday will be replaced next week in parallel with work to X-ray structural stiffeners in the tank's central compartment, officials said Thursday. The valve replacement work is not expected to impact Atlantis' July 8 target launch date.
FULL STORY
|
|
Test checks Atlantis' tank, finds possible valve leak
Engineers pumped a half-million gallons of supercold rocket fuel into the shuttle Atlantis' external tank Wednesday to verify the integrity of structural stiffeners intended to prevent cracks during the countdown and climb to space July 8. During the operation, however, the launch team detected indications of a possible leak on engine No. 3's main fuel valve.
FULL STORY
| |
|
|
PHOTOS: Atlantis poised for final space shuttle launch
Hours after Atlantis was parked at pad 39A, Spaceflight Now received rare access to the shuttle launch complex as the sun rose over the Atlantic Ocean. These spectacular photos show the spaceship from all angles as it's readied for the last space shuttle launch in July.
IMAGES: SUN RISES ON SHUTTLE ATLANTIS
IMAGES: VIEWS FROM LAUNCH PAD TOWER
IMAGES: WALK AROUND THE SPACE SHUTTLE
|
|
Shuttle Endeavour comes home to enter retirement
Swooping out of the nighttime sky to enter homeport a final time, the shuttle Endeavour has safely completed her spaceflight career that covered 25 voyages to Earth orbit over 19 years, spanning 122,883,151 miles traveled, 4,677 revolutions of the planet and 299 days aloft.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
IMAGES: SPACESHIP TOWED OFF THE RUNWAY
IMAGES: SHUTTLE ROLLS TO A STOP
IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR'S GHOSTLY HOMECOMING
IMAGES: LANDING GROUND TRACKS
MORNING STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. M (.pdf download)
STS-134 ARCHIVE
| |
|
|
Final space shuttle moved to launch pad for July flight
While space shuttle Endeavour was completing her final orbits of the planet, sistership Atlantis traveled to Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A late Tuesday. Rollout got underway at about 8:42 p.m. and was completed at 3:29 a.m. EDT.
MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
IMAGES: FINAL SHUTTLE EMERGES FROM VAB
IMAGES: SHUTTLE BEGINS FINAL TREK TO PAD
IMAGES: ATLANTIS AWAITS ROLLOUT
| |
|
|
Atlantis attached to fuel tank and boosters
For the final time in space shuttle program history, an orbiter was hoisted from the floor of the Vehicle Assembly Building and bolted to an external tank and solid rocket boosters. Final mating was completed early Thursday.
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live video coverage!
IMAGES: ATLANTIS LIFTED FROM THE FLOOR
IMAGES: SHUTTLE HANGING INSIDE VAB
IMAGES: SLING ATTACHED TO ATLANTIS
| |
|
|
Atlantis leaves her hangar
Tuesday was moving day for Atlantis as the space shuttle traveled from the Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 1 to the Vehicle Assembly Building in preparation for the final space shuttle mission.
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live coverage!
IMAGES: GROUND AND AERIAL ROLLOVER VIEWS
| |
|
|
Federal budget pays for summer shuttle flight
The U.S. government budget approved last week all but validates NASA's hope to fly the shuttle Atlantis on a much-needed bonus mission as soon as June 28, according to agency officials.
FULL STORY
| |
|
|
Booster stacking finished for final space shuttle flight
The past week saw the upper solid-fuel motor segments attached and the nose caps set in place atop the final space shuttle rocket boosters, completing the last buildup in the program's three-decade history.
FULL STORY
HISTORY OF STS-135 BOOSTERS
|
|
Space shuttle retirement museums announced
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden unveiled which museums will house the retired space shuttle vehicles during a ceremony Tuesday on the 30th anniversary of the program's first launching. The future homes are: Discovery to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Atlantis to the Kennedy Space Center, Endeavour to California Science Center in Los Angeles and Enterprise to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.
FULL STORY
LIVE STREAMING VIDEO COVERAGE
IMAGES: STS-1 ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY IN FLORIDA
|
|
Schedule mapped out to final space shuttle launch
The powerful booster rockets for the final space shuttle launch continue to be stacked segment-by-segment inside the Vehicle Assembly Building in preparation to propel Atlantis skyward this summer.
FULL STORY
|
|
Final shuttle crew checks out Atlantis and cargo
The space shuttle Atlantis astronauts visited Kennedy Space Center on Thursday and Friday for up-close and personal interaction with the orbiter and the payloads being readied for flight this summer.
PHOTO GALLERY
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
ASTRONAUTS INSPECT ATLANTIS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
CREW CHECKS OUT PAYLOADS PLAY | HI-DEF
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Stacking of final shuttle rocket boosters underway
The last-ever set of space shuttle solid-fuel rockets began taking shape Tuesday evening as technicians started stacking the boosters that will power Atlantis this summer.
FULL STORY
MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
|
|
Final set of space shuttle main engines installed
Space shuttle ground technicians at the Kennedy Space Center have achieved yet another "final" milestone on the road to the program's looming retirement: installing the last set of main engines.
PHOTO GALLERY
|
|
Decision on extra shuttle flight remains in limbo
Protecting their options while awaiting word on funding for a final shuttle mission next June, NASA managers believe flight processing probably can continue through the end of the year with the shuttle program's current budget or under a continuing resolution. But after that, sources say, additional money will be required or the hoped-for flight may not be possible.
FULL STORY
OUR SHUTTLE ARCHIVE
|
|
NASA considering June 2011 for final shuttle flight
Awaiting word on whether one additional shuttle flight will be approved by Congress and the Obama administration, NASA managers are protectively considering June 28, 2011, for launch of shuttle Atlantis on a rescue mission if a major problem threatens the crew of the final planned shuttle flight in late February. If not, and if NASA gets the required funding, the agency would launch Atlantis on an actual space station resupply mission to close out the shuttle program.
FULL STORY
| |
|
|
Atlantis returns to Earth where it could stay forever
Space shuttle Atlantis safely returned to the homeport Wednesday after the final planned voyage in its quarter-century of spaceflight. The vehicle's rich history included 294 days in space, 4,648 orbits of the planet and 120 million miles traveled during 32 flights. Whether NASA gives Atlantis one more mission next year remains unknown, meaning this landing could have been the orbiter's last before retirement.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!
IMAGES: ATLANTIS' ARRIVES HOME
IMAGES: LANDING PHOTOS
IMAGES: ATLANTIS TOWBACK
MAPS: WEDNESDAY'S LANDING TRACKS
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. J (.pdf download)
OUR MISSION ARCHIVE
STORE: STS-132 PATCH (free U.S. shipping)
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
SHUTTLE ATLANTIS SAFELY LANDS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
ASTRONAUTS' POST-LANDING BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
NASA OFFICIALS HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: PILOT'S WINDOW PLAY
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: INFRARED CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: RUNWAY NORTH PLAY
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: RUNWAY SOUTH PLAY
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: VAB ROOF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: RUNWAY EAST PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: RUNWAY WEST PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: EDGE OF RUNWAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: RUNWAY MID-FIELD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAYS: KENNEDY TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
MORE:
STS-132 VIDEO COVERAGE
MORE:
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Congress, White House mull extra space shuttle flight
A key NASA supporter in Congress is beginning a formal push for an extra space shuttle flight, as NASA officials prepare to present options to top Obama administration officials next month.
FULL STORY
| |
|
|
Respecting Atlantis as the shuttle faces retirement
Whether it was launching satellites to orbit our planet and even other worlds, breathing new life into humanity's telescope, fostering international relationships or building a laboratory in the sky, the space shuttle Atlantis has been a workhorse for mankind over the past 25 years.
FULL STORY
|
|
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
AN ASTRONAUT'S TRIBUTE TO SHUTTLE ATLANTIS PLAY
MORE:
STS-132 VIDEO COVERAGE
MORE:
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW
|
Does shuttle Atlantis have one extra flight in her?
Could space shuttle Atlantis get a reprieve from retirement and fly again next year to truck a load of supplies to the International Space Station?
FULL STORY
| |
|
|
The final planned flight of space shuttle Endeavour is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-134. Available in our store!
The crew emblem for the final space shuttle mission is now available in our store. Get this piece of history!
This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.
The final planned flight of space shuttle Discovery is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-133. Available in our store!
This embroidered patch commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Program. The design features the space shuttle Columbia's historic maiden flight of April 12, 1981.
The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.
