⏰ when
When did the Space Shuttle make its final flight?
spaceNASAhistory
Quick Answer
The Space Shuttle's final mission, STS-135 on Atlantis, launched on 8 July 2011 and landed on 21 July 2011, ending 30 years of shuttle flights.
The Full Story
NASA's reusable Space Shuttle first flew on 12 April 1981, when Columbia launched on STS-1. Over 30 years, five orbiters — Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour — flew 135 missions. The shuttles launched the Hubble Space Telescope and carried many parts of the International Space Station. The programme also suffered two tragedies: Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003, which together claimed 14 lives. The retired orbiters are now displayed in museums in the United States.
Key Facts
1.The shuttle programme flew 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.
2.Atlantis flew the final mission, STS-135.
3.Five orbiters flew in space.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"135 missions, 30 years — the rise and retirement of the Space Shuttle."