The Space Shuttle Atlantis had its final launch on Friday, 14 May. Mission STS-132 will be a 12-day flight to the International Space Station, leaving behind a Russian Mini Research Module, a set of batteries for the station’s truss and dish antenna, along with other replacement parts. The mission patch features Atlantis flying off into the sunset as the end of the space shuttle program approaches.

In September, Discovery will take its final launch on Mission STS-133. Then in November, the space shuttle Endeavour will take its final launch in Mission STS-134. Yes, the “134" stands for the 134th space shuttle flight.

Then the space shuttle program will be over.

The STS-1 took place on 12 April, 1981 when Columbia demonstrated that the space shuttle could safely launch into orbit and return. Unfortunately, Columbia was destroyed in 2003, taking the lives of seven brave astronauts.

The first space shuttle was the Enterprise, launched off the back of a 747 to prove that the space shuttle design could actually fly and land safely. It was originally planned to be named Constitution. However, a write-in campaign caused it to be renamed after Star Trek’s Starship Enterprise. The Air & Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport now hosts the Enterprise.

We are entering another period of uncertainty about when the United States will put another man or woman into space. I assume it’s “when” and not “if.” There have always been issues about the safety and cost of human spaceflight. To some extent there is deep human pride that we have conquered our planet and can travel above its atmosphere.

After 134 launches, perhaps we have become complacent about launching people into space. Grab your kids and watch the launch video to see the raw power and danger as over 6,000,000 pounds of thrust throw the space shuttle, its external tank and two rocket boosters into low earth orbit.

There are only two more launches left.


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