Endeavour’s Final Landing
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In this image provided by NASA TV, you can see Endeavour touching down on the runway at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Image above: Space shuttle Endeavour makes its final landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA TV
STS-134′s crew consisted of Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori.
The 16-day mission delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts to the International Space Station, including communications antennas, parts for the DEXTRE robot, and a high-pressure gas tank.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden was quoted as saying:
“We are very proud of Endeavour’s legacy, and this penultimate flight of the space shuttle program once again demonstrated the amazing skill and dedication of our astronauts and the entire workforce. As we begin the transition from the shuttle program to the commercial transportation of our crews and cargo, our ability to tackle big challenges remains steadfast and will ensure that NASA reaches even more destinations farther in the solar system.”
STS-134 was Endeavour’s final mission and the shuttle will eventually be on permanent display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.
Source:NASA Space Shuttle Mission News
Ray Sanders is a Sci-Fi geek, astronomer and blogger. Currently researching variable stars at Arizona State University, he writes for Universe Today, The Planetary Society blog, and his own blog, Dear Astronomer
2012-12-04 08:06:08
Source: http://www.dearastronomer.com/2011/05/31/endeavours-final-landing/
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