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Atlantis lands for final time, marking end to 30-year program

Kennedy Space Center, Florida (CNN) -- Soaring across the predawn haze, Atlantis glided back to Earth early Thursday -- capping a 30-year program that saw hundreds of astronauts go into space.

The landing at 5:57 a.m. ET went off without a hitch at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.

But it marked a sentimental finish for the four astronauts, who woke up to "God Bless America" on their final morning in space.

"This one was dedicated to all the men and women who have worked for the space shuttle program in the past three decades," NASA said.

"We're all -- the four of us -- were honored to be a part of this," commander Chris Ferguson told reporters. "But ultimately, it's everyone who has worked on the shuttle program -- although we got to take the ride, we sure hope that everybody who has ever worked or touched or looked at or envied or admired a space shuttle was able to take just a little part of the journey with us."



Atlantis astronaut reads poem in orbit

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Atlantis' last wake up call Soon after it landed, Ferguson said the program ends on a hopeful note.

"The space shuttle changed the way we view the world, the way we view the universe," he told NASA mission controllers. "America's not going to stop exploring. Thanks for protecting us and bringing this program to a fitting end."

After Houston Mission Control signed off, ceding control to Kennedy Space Center, the mission control space filled with more than 100 people for an emotional outpouring. Flowers appeared, and a cake in the shape of Atlantis was rolled in. A box of cigars -- which weren't lit inside the building -- was passed around by mission control workers.

"Your work here has made America and the world a better place," Tony Ceccacci, entry flight director, told controllers in Houston. "It's been my extreme pleasure and honor to work with each one of you."

The 13-day mission to the International Space Station was to stock the orbiting laboratory with supplies, food and equipment. The crew of four delivered more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipment and other supplies, NASA said. Atlantis lifted off July 8.

In addition to Ferguson, the crew was also made up of pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim.

"We're going to put Atlantis in a museum now, along with the three orbiters, for generations that will come after us to admire and appreciate," Ferguson said. "And hopefully, I want that picture of a young 6-year-old boy looking up at a space shuttle in a museum and saying, 'Daddy, I want to do something like that when I grow up,' or 'I want our country to do fantastic things like this for the continued future.'

"And if we set those steps right now, and they continue with that next generation of space explorers, then I consider our job there complete," he said.

Atlantis' landing means the United States has no way to lift humans into space for the first time in decades, leaving Russia as the only option to ferry American astronauts to orbit.

The crew on the mission known as STS-135 relished their final hours in space as they discussed their next frontier in flight.

"What we're going to see in the next few years is a very broadening horizon," Ferguson told CNN's Ali Velshi hundreds of miles above Earth. "What we'll do is we'll turn over the reins of that business to commercial partners."

Walheim said he hopes the end of the program marks the beginning of more flight opportunities.

"I think it's going to open up a new era of space flight," Walheim said. "We want to take that next step -- get access to Earth orbit cheaper and more frequent. We can do that by partnering with our commercial partners, and that will allow NASA to really focus on the exploration," such as going beyond the Earth's orbit or to asteroids and Mars.

The first shuttle, Columbia, blasted off on April 12, 1981. Since then, space shuttle crews have fixed satellites, performed scientific studies, and ferried materials and people to International Space Station Alpha, a football field-sized construction project in orbit. The shuttle program has sent 355 people from 16 countries to space, with five space shuttles on a total of 135 missions.

comment:
i think the NASA will be reduced to a skeletal space program for the benefit of those that choose to use welfare as a life style rather than a safety net. The welfare class will be encouraged and enabled by many in return for their vote.