
Handoff to Houston
Space shuttle Atlantis clears the tower on the final launch of the space shuttle program, STS-135. Once clear of the tower, control is transferred from the Kennedy Space Centre to Mission Control in Houston for the duration of the flight.

Wonderful Profile
Space shuttle Atlantis clears the tower for the final time, signalling the end of the space shuttle program.

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Where The Wind Blows
Wreathed in her own launch plume, space shuttle Endeavour lifts off on the final launch of her career, hauling the US $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. After landing, she’ll be processed and turned over to the California Science Center for permanent display.

Pillars of Fire
Riding twin pillars of fire, veteran space shuttle Discovery embarks on her final voyage to orbit from LC-39A. After this final mission, she’ll be processed and turned over to the Smithsonian for permanent display.

SSME Stabilization
Space shuttle Discovery’s SSMEs (Space Shuttle Main Engines) stabilize after ignition in this sequence. From left to right, the rough orange flame stabilizes to form a smooth blue flow, displaying the characteristic “Mach diamonds”, formed by the supersonic flow of the engine’s exhaust.

One More Time
Space shuttle Discovery, STS-133 lifts off from the launch pad for the final time. Within twenty seconds of missing her launch window and being forced to abort, she had a flawless ascent to orbit.

Branch
Consuming 20,000 pounds of propellants every second, space shuttle Discovery lights up the lagoons of the Kennedy Space Centre on the final flight of her career.

Remote 1 Liftoff II
Space shuttle Atlantis, STS-132, soars into the clear Florida skies on her ‘first final flight’.

Remote 1 Liftoff
Space shuttle Atlantis, STS-132, soars into the clear Florida skies on her ‘first final flight’.