STS-135 - the last STS mission

[Admin]

With STS-135, the STS era will come to an end.

This last mission was made possible by using the reserve funds available for rescue missions. Since the need for a reserve rescue mission ended with STS-125, these funds are used now for adding the last Atlantis and the last STS flight.

Wishing Atlantis and the STS program a glorious closure of this chapter in humanity's Space Exploration.

/Admin

[Steven]

With STS-135, the STS era will come to an end.

This last mission was made possible by using the reserve funds available for rescue missions. Since the need for a reserve rescue mission ended with STS-125, these funds are used now for adding the last Atlantis and the last STS flight.

Wishing Atlantis and the STS program a glorious closure of this chapter in humanity's Space Exploration.

/Admin

They haven't ended, per se... there was LON (Launch On Need) support for STS-134, should Endeavour gotten a bit of unrepairable damage, Atlantis would have launched to save her crew.

Let's pray that's not needed for Atlantis, as they'll have to be rescued by Soyuz, as there's no more external tanks for Shuttle.

I forsee this thread being a somber one, the last flow on LC-39a for the Shuttle era, the best one yet in my opinion.  Beautiful girls, too bad they'll have to be retired to a museum.

[Admin]

With STS-135, the STS era will come to an end.

This last mission was made possible by using the reserve funds available for rescue missions. Since the need for a reserve rescue mission ended with STS-125, these funds are used now for adding the last Atlantis and the last STS flight.

Wishing Atlantis and the STS program a glorious closure of this chapter in humanity's Space Exploration.

/Admin

They haven't ended, per se... there was LON (Launch On Need) support for STS-134, should Endeavour gotten a bit of unrepairable damage, Atlantis would have launched to save her crew.

Let's pray that's not needed for Atlantis, as they'll have to be rescued by Soyuz, as there's no more external tanks for Shuttle.

I forsee this thread being a somber one, the last flow on LC-39a for the Shuttle era, the best one yet in my opinion.  Beautiful girls, too bad they'll have to be retired to a museum.

AFAIK, depending on that "unrepairable damage". That means that Atlantis would have launched only in the case Endeavour wasn't able to safely dock with the ISS.

If it was, then the crew would have returned with Russian rides.

That really reduces the chance of a LON for flight-to-ISS missions.

It will be a somber thread allright and soon, it will become strange and sad speaking about the STS in the past tense.

/Admin

[Cras]

During the roll-out press conference last night, the Atlantis crew said that should the Shuttle become disabled during launch somehow, that the final crew member would get home something like 9 months later, having to wait his turn on the ISS for an open Soyuz seat.

But we all know that won't happen.  Already got my name on the list for tickets.  It really will be very sad to think there are no more shuttles.  It is still hard for me to think that now two of those famous shuttles are out of service.  No more Discovery, no more Endeavour, and soon no more Atlantis. 

But we do have Orion to look forward to.  Hopefully in five years or so we will see Astronauts going up in a new spacecraft from KSC.

[Pocci]

Interesting fact, I found on Spaceflight Now:
The most forward left cylinder (right after the dome) of the left SFB has been used on STS-1.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/fdf/135srbs.pdf

/Armin

[Cthulhus]

Interesting found ! Thanks !

[Pocci]

And here a little story together with a photo of both booster upper cylinders and nose cones:
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/110418srbs/

/Armin

[Steven]

It also looks like 4 pieces were flown on STS-107 as well.  Just another interesting note.

[Admin]

OK gang - this is it: the last STS mission.

Everything's looking good for a launch this Friday and roughly two weeks later, all will be over. The Shuttle will retire for good, together with our memories and excitement of following its mission in almost real time.

Four more days...

/Admin

[Cthulhus]

OK gang - this is it: the last STS mission.

Everything's looking good for a launch this Friday and roughly two weeks later, all will be over. The Shuttle will retire for good, together with our memories and excitement of following its mission in almost real time.

Four more days...

/Admin

Thanks... Usually, I'm excited by a new launch... But not for this one ... But Anyway, God speed Atlantis ! This mission will be perfect for all our memories !

[Steven]

Yeah, STS-133, STS-134, and now STS-135 haven't excited me too much - only because I know they are the last of each Shuttle.  They are exciting, but it's sad to see this program shutting down.

The crew is in Florida now, and in quarantine for launch.  Godspeed to both the vehicle and crew on this final mission.

[Cras]

Since the weather looks to be quite bad on Friday, I think we will have a stay of execution of the Shuttle program for just a little longer.

[wrxracer1983]

I seriously hope the forecast I just saw changes.  It shows scattered t-storms for the next 10 days...

[Admin]

"Zero Days to Launch" (weather permitting)

/Admin

[simking]

Interesting STS 51 is also part of the boosters and the return to space STS 52.I see 107 as well. It almost looks like at least 1 part of every STS mission was mixed into the pieces..