Wheels Stop – As Atlantis Lands the Shuttle Era Comes to an End, SpaceRef “At 5:57:54 a.m EDT the orbiter Atlantis came to a wheels stop at the Kennedy Space Center runway 15 marking the end of the Space Shuttle era.” NASA Administrator Commemorates Final Space Shuttle Landing, NASA “At today’s final landing of the space shuttle, we had the rare opportunity to witness history. We turned the page on […]

Atlantis: The Grand Finale Photo Special at Launch Pad 39A Part 1, SpaceRef “The Grand Finale of NASA’s three decade long Space Shuttle program is less than two weeks away. Recently NASA allowed reporters unprecedented access to photograph the Space Shuttle Atlantis while it waits on the pad. Here is part one.”

Payload Readied for Trip to the Pad as Tanking Test Wraps Up, NASA “During the tanking test, the main fuel valve for Atlantis’ No. 3 space shuttle main engine recorded temperatures below normal levels, indicating a possible liquid hydrogen leak. Teams isolated the engine and continued to fuel Atlantis with no issues and temperatures returned to normal readings. Technicians can gain access to the engine area once it is cleared […]

Last Ever Shuttle to Haul Raffaello Logistics Module to the International Space Station, Ken Kremer for SpaceRef “The primary goal of the STS-135 flight is to haul the “Raffaello” multipurpose logistics module (MPLM) up to the International Space Station. The 21 foot long cylindrical module is mounted inside the shuttle cargo bay during launch and landing. Raffaello is a space ‘moving van’ and loaded with some 12 tons of critical […]