Last Space Shuttle Flight
The space shuttle was retired from service upon the conclusion of sts 135 by atlantis on 21 july 2011.
Last space shuttle flight. Sts 134 was expected to be the final mission of the space shuttle program but with the authorization of sts 135 atlantis became the last shuttle to fly. The final liftoff of atlantis on the shoulders of the space shuttle america will continue the dream. When the last shuttle astronauts began training in the summer of 2010 there was no guarantee they d get a chance to fly.
The mission had originally been sts 335 a launch on need flight that would wait on the ground to rescue the crew of sts 134 the last scheduled flight in case that vehicle was unable to return from the station. A fifth operational orbiter endeavour was built in 1991 to replace challenger. On july 21 2011 nasa s space shuttle program completes its final and 135th mission when the shuttle atlantis lands at kennedy space center in florida.
The final flight of space shuttle atlantis launched from the kennedy space center on 8 july at 11 29 03 9 edt with launch commentator george diller saying two one zero and liftoff. Space shuttle endeavour is a retired orbiter from nasa s space shuttle program and the fifth and final operational shuttle built. The united states congress approved the construction of endeavour in 1987 to replace challenger which was.