Atlantis rests of the runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The orbiter's safe return to Earth marked the end of NASA's space shuttle program. Photo Credit/NASA TV
Orbiter Atlantis touched down at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the pre-dawn Thursday, bringing a triumphant conclusion to the nation’s long running shuttle program.
Weather conditions were perfect, as the spacecraft’s rolled onto the runway along Central Florida’s Atlantic coast at 5:57 a.m., EDT.
“After serving the world for over 30 years, the space shuttle has found its place in history. It’s come to a final stop,” announced Atlantis commander Chris Ferguson, as the orbiter rolled to a halt. “The space shuttle has changed the way we view the world, and changed the way we view the universe.”
As the sun rose on Central Florida, a crowd of NASA workers gathered under the wings of Atlantis and waited for Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim to join them.
As they emerged, the astronauts were quickly welcomed back to Earth by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon and other top program officials.
“We’ve turned the page on a remarkable era and began the next chapter in our nation’s extraordinary story of exploration,” said Bolden, himself a former shuttle astronaut. “The shuttle program brought our nation many firsts. Many proud moments,”
In Houston, the scene carried equal drama.
Hundreds of workers gathered outside the main administration building at NASA’s Johnson Space Center under a moon lit sky to witness the return of Atlantis on big screen televisions.
One of the large video screens in Mission Control displayed an electronic banner that read “Welcome Home Atlantis.”
“Each of you should take great pride in the accomplishments you have achieved and know you are the main reason for the success of the shuttle program,” NASA’s Tony Ceccacci, the flight director who supervised the descent, told his flight control team. “I believe the accomplishments of the shuttle program will become the shoulders of giants for future programs to stand on.”
In all, NASA launched 135 shuttle flights over three decades. Atlantis launched on 33 of them.
Atlantis lifted off for the final time on July 8, docking with the International Space Station two days later. Joining forces with the station’s six-member crew, the shuttle fliers engaged in a 9 1/2 ton cargo exchange and a single spacewalk
The food, spare parts and other supplies delivered by Atlantis should sustain six person operations aboard the space station through 2012 — long enough for emerging U. S. commercial re-supply services to begin to launch and achieve a regular delivery schedule.
Meanwhile, NASA will turn its attention to the development of the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and the Space Launch System.
They represent a four person capsule and the heavy lift rocket needed to start future American astronauts on missions to destinations beyond low Earth orbit.