Atlantis prepares for final shuttle mission

[Saru]

After 30 years of space shuttle launches next month will see the end of an era for manned space flight.

Next month the space shuttle Atlantis blasts off for its final mission. The Telegraph joined the crew preparing for what some fear is the 'funeral' of American space exploration.

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[Just Dave]

Right this was said before...for STS-134? Nasa is full of BS.

[ShadowSot]

Right this was said before...for STS-134? Nasa is full of BS.

That was Endeavors last flight before being retired, this'll be Atlantis's last flight before being retired.

Once Atlantis is retired, that's it.

[War Eagle]

When i first heard the breaking news of this i hit the ground laughing, because the big story dominating the airwaves prior to this, err and for the 3 mths( ) was carbon tax and the chain-reaction effect on big & small business, consumers etc etc... lol!!!

[MID]

Right this was said before...for STS-134? Nasa is full of BS.

I would submit that you are full of B.S.

STS-135 is the final shuttle program flight, period.

[MID]

When i first heard the breaking news of this i hit the ground laughing, because the big story dominating the airwaves prior to this, err and for the 3 mths( ) was carbon tax and the chain-reaction effect on big & small business, consumers etc etc... lol!!!

Forgive me.

I fail to see the connection between the two, or the humor...

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I would submit that you are full of B.S.

STS-135 is the final shuttle program flight, period.

Careful with the personal comments please.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Right this was said before...for STS-134? Nasa is full of BS.

You clearly don't bother to follow the latest information on spaceflight and then become insulting because YOU don't know what is happening.

NASA had originally planned to conclude the Shuttle programme with STS-134. However, under current flight rules, NASA has to have a rescue plan in case a shuttle becomes stranded at the ISS. As STS-134 was carrying a crew of 6 the rescue plan consisted of a shuttle ready for a "launch on need" (LON) rescue mission. Atlantis would have flown that mission, using the last flight-worthy external fuel tank. This mission would have been known as STS-335.

The upshot of this is that, had NASA retired the Shuttles as originally planned, after Endeavour's STS-134, there would have remained one unused ET.

In July 2010 the US Senate drafted a bill directing NASA to fly an additional shuttle flight, using the hardware intended for STS-335 (of course had Atlantis been needed for the LON flight STS-135 would never have happened). This bill was signed by the President in October 2010.

Initially no funds were allocated to this flight, and NASA only added it to the launch manifest (allowing them to train a crew) in January 2010. In February 2011 NASA announced that the flight would occur regardless of funding issues.

The reason that STS-135 can take place, despite having no LON rescue vehicle, is because it carries a crew of only 4. This means that, should the crew become stranded on the ISS, they could be rescued (one at a time) by russian Soyuz craft. However in the case of STS-135 commander, Christopher Ferguson, it is likely to be a year before he returned to Earth.

STS-135 will definitely be the final shuttle flight. No more external tanks exist and no more are being manufactured. Whenever NASA next launch a crew into space it will not be aboard a shuttle.

[Rhincewind]

so atlantis goes up right? I asume to remove the astronaughts from the station. otherwise how do they get back to earth?

[Just Dave]

@ Waspie Damn! Now thats an insight, sorry for "BS" word, i now know much more. I thought originaly that NASA said they would end space shuttle program. So now going up there with Atlantis sounded weird to me.

Now i've learned about this US senate approving the bill for one last mission. Well sorry and thanks that explains alot.

[Picturesque Orion]

so atlantis goes up right? I asume to remove the astronaughts from the station. otherwise how do they get back to earth?

Our wonderful Russian friends will take care of the american "space flight" gap for a few years. The Soyuz program will take care of station resupply duties and crew change missions.

ESA (European Space Agency) will collaborate with their ATVs (Automated Transfer Vehicles) lofted upon the Ariane rockets to hoal cargo to the ISS.

Cheers.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

so atlantis goes up right? I asume to remove the astronaughts from the station. otherwise how do they get back to earth?

Since november 2009 all ISS crews have been launched to, and returned from, the space station using Russian Soyuz craft. The shuttle crews, since that time, have simply been visitors. The last ISS crew member returned to Earth on board a shuttle was Nicole Stott on Atlantis' STS-129 mission.

[War Eagle]

Forgive me.

I fail to see the connection between the two, or the humor...

Try not to look into it too much Mid..

Was listening to the radio about the carbon (CO2) emissions and the taxing on the amount we all so call produce into the atmosphere which is harming the environment, also massive effect it will have big business and small business passing it right back down to consumers blah blah. Then at that time i here the news story of the final flight of the space shuttle breaks out andat that time for some reason thought of the amount space shuttle launches produced with every flight, and went; AH OH looks like no one's exempt here...

[Waspie_Dwarf]

AH OH looks like no one's exempt here...

You are adding 1+1 and getting 3 here. There is no connection at all. The shuttle programme was ordered to be ended by President Bush as a result of the Columbia accident back in 2004.

[War Eagle]

You are adding 1+1 and getting 3 here. There is no connection at all. The shuttle programme was ordered to be ended by President Bush as a result of the Columbia accident back in 2004.

I realize it must be an emotional time for you but lighten up Waspie, your blowing my intended statement way out of propulsion proportion...

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I realize it must be an emotional time for you but lighten up Waspie, your blowing my intended statement way out of propulsion proportion...

If you are going to make factually incorrect "statements" you need to be able to accept that people will correct you and bring a little reality in to the subect. It's no good telling people to lighten up when it is you that's posting nonsense.

If you don't like to be corrected then I suggest you do a bit more research before posting. Google is quite useful at times.

[War Eagle]

If you are going to make factually incorrect "statements" you need to be able to accept that people will correct you and bring a little reality in to the subect. It's no good telling people to lighten up when it is you that's posting nonsense.

If you don't like to be corrected then I suggest you do a bit more research before posting. Google is quite useful at times.

Ok it was more of an expression of my ps (funny) thoughts @ a particular time than a statement which i had @ work of latest breaking news of it on radio, you knew what i meant by it. If my nonsense posting bothered you that much, your the mod, please feel free to delete it, rather than flame it...

Also i do recall (vaguely) the SS program was going to be mothballed, in fact it was here on UM went i first heard about it.

[War Eagle]

Saddest, some may say most frustrating part of all this, is the straight talking 'no nonsense statement' made only just last year by Obama...

“The bottom line is, nobody is more committed to manned spaceflight, to 'human exploration of space' than I am,” - Barack Obama (2010)

NY Times

[27vet]

Last chance to participate in "Face in Space"! Check it out on the NASA website.