7 Things You Didn’t Know About The Last Space Shuttle Mission

The 135th & final mission of the American Space Shuttle program.

Jonathan Stroud
Aug 29, 2017 · 6 min read
“STS-135” — Credit: NASA

NASA concluded the Space Shuttle Program in 2011.

NASA ended the space shuttle era with the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2011.

NASA’s Space Shuttle Program sent over 600 astronauts into low-Earth orbit over a 30-year-span. Averaging speeds of 17,500+ miles per hour (28,000 kilometers) space shuttle crews would see a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes. Until NASA’s new Space Launch System is complete, or private companies such as SpaceX are able to launch astronauts to low Earth orbit, NASA must rely on Russian Soyuz rockets to get Americans into space.

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The mileage of all orbiters combined during the Space Shuttle Program total over 513.7 million miles (826.7 million km) travelled, which is about 1.3 the distance between Earth and Jupiter.

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The historic Atlantis orbiter is now on display at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Plan your visit today!

Enjoy these 7 Things You Didn’t Know About The Last Space Shuttle Mission!

“STS-135 prior to launch” — Credit: NASA

#7 — Prior to launch the space shuttle weighted 4,521,143lbs (2,050,756 kg).

“The space shuttle Atlantis launches for the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station in the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff was at 11:29 a.m. (EDT) on July 8, 2011. Onboard are NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, STS-135 commander; Doug Hurley, pilot; Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, both mission specialists.” — Credit: NASA Photo/Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool

#6 — STS-135 launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A in Florida at 11:29 a.m. (EDT) on July 8, 2011.

“Attired in their training versions of the shuttle launch and entry suit, STS-135 crew members listen to a briefing by a crew trainer prior to the start of a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Pictured from the left are NASA astronauts Rex Walheim, mission specialist; Chris Ferguson, commander; Sandy Magnus, mission specialist; and Doug Hurley, pilot. STS-135 is planned to be the final mission of the space shuttle program. “ — Credit: NASA

#5 — The last space shuttle crewmembers were Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.

“This is a view of the space shuttle Atlantis and its Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module during the final day of being docked with the International Space Station. The object connected to the station at right in the grasp of Dextre, a robot hand, is the Cargo Transport Container-2 (CTC-2) which was delivered by JAXA’s HTV-2 vehicle earlier in the year.” — Credit: NASA

#4 — The four-person crew was the smallest space shuttle mission since STS-6 in April 1983.

“Backdropped against a mostly blue Earth scene, part of the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station, the vertical stabilizer of space shuttle Atlantis and the orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods are seen in this view photographed by one of the STS-135 crewmembers using windows on the spacecraft’s aft flight deck during the mission’s second day of activities in Earth orbit.” — Credit: NASA

#3–It was the 33rd and final flight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

“The space shuttle Atlantis launches for the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station in the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff was at 11:29 a.m. (EDT) on July 8, 2011. Onboard are NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, STS-135 commander; Doug Hurley, pilot; Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, both mission specialists.“ — Credit: NASA Photo/Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Poo.

#2 — The 37th Space Shuttle/International Space Station (ISS) assembly mission.

“Ribbons of steam and smoke trail space shuttle Atlantis as it nears touchdown on the Shuttle Landing Facility’s Runway 15 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the final time.” — Credit: NASA

#2 — The space shuttle landed on 21 July 2011, following a one-day mission extension.

“An American flag waves in the wind in front of space shuttle Atlantis on the Shuttle Landing Facility’s Runway 15 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Atlantis’ final return from space at 5:57 a.m. (EDT) on July 21, 2011, completed the 13-day, 5.2-million-mile STS-135 mission. Securing the space shuttle fleet’s place in history, Atlantis brought a close to the nation’s Space Shuttle Program. STS-135 delivered spare parts, equipment and supplies to the International Space Station. STS-135 was the 33rd and final flight for Atlantis, which has spent 307 days in space, orbited Earth 4,848 times and traveled 125,935,769 miles.” — Credit: NASA

#1 — The mission officially lasted 12 days, 18 hours, 27 minutes & 52 seconds.

*Bonus* — Final launch footage:

Did you know all 7? Share your favorite space shuttle facts with me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

“I think both the space shuttle program and the International Space Station program have not really lived up to their expectations.” — Buzz Aldrin

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Jonathan Stroud

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Content creator, love to write, passionate about space.

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