Atlantis space shuttle makes final landing
Marks the end of 30-year U.S. space shuttle program
NASA’s last surviving shuttle—the Atlantis—made its final landing Thursday morning, completing a 13-day re-supply mission and a 30-year U.S. space program. The shuttle landed in Florida, at Kennedy Space Center, 5:57 am ET. 2,000 people gathered to welcome the shuttle, as commander Christopher Ferguson addressed the crowd by radio: “After serving the world for over 30 years,” he said, “the space shuttle’s earned its place in history.” Atlantis’ final mission was to deliver enough spare parts and provisions to keep the International Space Station stocked for one year.
Get the Best of Maclean’s straight to your inbox.
Sign up for news, commentary and analysis. Join 60,000+ Canadian readers.