Space Shuttle Atlantis, which launched four days before Loyabelle was born, landed safely this morning at Cape Canaveral, ending NASA’s 30-year Shuttle program.
It was the 135th mission for the fleet, which has covered an astonishing 542million miles and circled Earth 21,150 times. …
The five shuttles have carried 355 people from 16 countries – and here were the last four astronauts safely home to cheers and tears.
As Commander Christopher Ferguson eased Atlantis on to the runway, he radioed: ‘Mission complete, Houston’.
‘Job well done, America,’ replied Mission Control. …
‘The space shuttle has changed the way we view the world and it’s changed the way we view our universe,’ said Commander Ferguson. ‘There’s a lot of emotion today, but one thing’s indisputable. America’s not going to stop exploring.
‘Thank you Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Endeavour and our ship Atlantis. Thank you for protecting us and bringing this programme to such a fitting end.’
The first Shuttle flight launched in April 1981 — when my mother was roughly 3 months pregnant with me. The last one launched when my third daughter was exactly 9 months along in utero (i.e., on Becky’s due date), and landed when she was 9 days old.
Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
UPDATE: This is awesome.