An icon in popular culture has come to an end after over 30 years of missions to the moon. Space Shuttle Atlantis ended the U.S. shuttle program when it landed at the Kennedy Space Center on July 21, 2011. From Columbia to Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavor, America’s space program was full of highlights, discoveries, tragedy, and achievements.
N.A.S.A. had tragedies over the years, with the explosion of Challenger on January 28, 1996 when it exploded 70 seconds after blast off, killing all 7 members aboard and Columbia, which exploded February 1, 2003 upon re-entry after it was damaged on take-off.
Between the five shuttles, they flew a total of 135 missions that varied on accomplishments but they helped construct the International Space Station while inspiring many people along the way. The space missions included Sally Ride, the first woman in space, John Glenn, a politician, who also re-entered into space in October of 1998 at the age of 77, and animals were all part of N.A.S.A. history.
It was announced in April of 2011 that N.A.S.A would “retire” the remaining shuttles to different locations in the U.S. for display. Space Shuttle Discovery, the oldest and most flown craft will be displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Endeavour, will be displayed at the California Science Center and Atlantis will make its home in the most fitting of places, at The Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL.
Although the space shuttle missions have ended, there is some speculation that the space program is “just taking a break” and that it will, at some point in the future, return to complete more missions to the moon.
References
http://www.space.com/11367-nasa-space-shuttles-museums-winners.html
It is sad that the successful space shuttle program "retired". Just think of all the possibilities NASA could have used the shuttle for.
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