Space Shuttle Landings

Photos of various space shuttles touching down at Kennedy Space Center, highlighting the grandeur of space travel and missions.

Space shuttle Atlantis touches down at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis kicks up dust as it touches down on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after 11 days in space, completing the 4.5-million mile STS-129 mission on orbit 171.Main gear touchdown was at 9:44:23 a.m. EST. Nose gear touchdown was at 9:44:36 a.m., and wheels stop was at 9:45:05 a.m. Aboard Atlantis are Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr.; and Expedition 20 and 21 Flight Engineer Nicole Stott who spent 87 days aboard the International Space Station. STS-129 is the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight on the manifest. On STS-129, the crew delivered 14 tons of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, including two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers containing spare parts to sustain station operations after the shuttles are retired next year.

Space shuttle Atlantis touches down at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Space Shuttle Endeavor

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery rolls to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The first motion of the shuttle out from Orbiter Processing Facility 3 was at 7:22 a.m. EDT. In the VAB, Discovery will be lifted into High Bay 1 and mated to the external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters already installed on the mobile launcher platform. The shuttle is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39A the first week of August to prepare for the STS-128 mission to the International Space Station. Discovery will carry the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module containing life support racks and science racks and the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier in its payload bay. Launch of Discovery is targeted for late August.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour is towed into the Mate-Demate Device, or MDD, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MDD will be used to lift and connect the shuttle to the top of NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft SCA, a modified 747 jetliner. The shuttle has been fitted with an aerodynamic tailcone for its flight aboard the SCA to Los Angeles where it will be placed on public display. The shuttle was towed from the Vehicle Assembly Building.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After a 15-day mission to the International Space Station, space shuttle Discovery glides to a smooth landing on Runway 33 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 1:01 p.m. EST on Nov. 7, completing mission STS-120. Main gear touchdown was 1:01:16 p.m. Wheel stop was at 1:02:07 p.m. Mission elapsed time was 15 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes and 2 seconds. The STS-120 crew continued the construction of the station with the installation of the Harmony Node 2 module and the relocation of the P6 truss.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the 69th landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery kicks up dust as it touches down on Runway 15 to end the STS-124 mission, a 14-day flight to the International Space Station. The main landing gear touched down at 11:15:19 a.m. EDT. The nose landing gear touched down at 11:15:30 a.m. and wheel stop was at 11:16:19 a.m. The mission completed 5.7 million miles. The STS-124 mission delivered the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system to the space station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery, mounted to a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, slowly rolls along the runway of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The duo is set to begin their 3 1/2 hour ferry flight to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia at about 7 a.m. EDT. Above the two craft is a NASA helicopter covering the departure. Discovery is leaving Kennedy after more than 28 years of service beginning with its arrival on the space coast Nov. 9, 1983. Discovery first launched to space Aug. 30, 1984, on the STS-41D mission. Discovery is the agency's most-flown shuttle with 39 missions, more than 148 million miles and a total of one year in space. Discovery is set to move to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on April 19 where it will be placed on public display.

Space Shuttle Endeavour landing on Runway 33 after completing the STS-113 Mission to the International Space Station, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis whooshes past the Vehicle Assembly Building and NASA's new mobile launcher as it nears touchdown on Runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. Landing was at 8:48 a.m. EDT, completing the 12-day STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. The six-member STS-132 crew carried the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 to the International Space Station. STS-132 is the 34th shuttle mission to the station, the 132nd shuttle mission overall and the last planned flight for Atlantis.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers prepare space shuttle Atlantis for its trek from the Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility-2 for the last time. Atlantis' final return to Earth on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida occurred at 5:57 a.m. EDT July 21, 2011. Securing the space shuttle fleet's place in history, Atlantis marks the 26th nighttime landing of NASA's Space Shuttle Program and the 78th landing at Kennedy. Atlantis and its crew delivered to the International Space Station the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipment and supplies that will sustain station operations for the next year. STS-135 is the 33rd and final flight for Atlantis and the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program.

The orbiter Discovery rolls out of KSC's Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 en route to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Once inside the VAB, Discovery will be hoisted upright into a vertical position to be mated with an orange external tank and two white solid rocket boosters. Once mated, the orbiter becomes the Space Shuttle Discovery, slated for launch on STS-91, the ninth and final docking mission with the Russian Space Station Mir. The six-member crew of STS-91 will dock with Mir and pick up Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., who will have been on Mir about four months, to return him to Earth. STS-91 is scheduled to launch June 2 at about 6:04 p.m. EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Atlantis is towed from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Atlantis is switching places with Endeavour which had been in Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility OPF. In the OPF, Atlantis will undergo final preparations for its transfer to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex targeted for November. The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Atlantis and Endeavour. Atlantis is being prepared for public display at Kennedy's Visitor Complex. Over the course of its 26-year career, Atlantis spent 293 days in space during 33 missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space Space shuttle Endeavour touches down on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to complete the 16-day, 6.5-million mile journey on the STS-127 mission to the International Space Station. Endeavour landed on orbit 248. Main gear touchdown was at 10:48:08 a.m. EDT. Nose gear touchdown was at 10:48:21 a.m. and wheels stop was at 10:49:13 a.m. Endeavour delivered the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section to the International Space Station. The mission was the 29th flight to the station, the 23rd flight of Endeavour and the 127th in the Space Shuttle Program, as well as the 71st landing at Kennedy.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers prepare space shuttle Atlantis for its trek from the Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility-2 for the last time. Atlantis' final return to Earth on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida occurred at 5:57 a.m. EDT July 21, 2011. Securing the space shuttle fleet's place in history, Atlantis marks the 26th nighttime landing of NASA's Space Shuttle Program and the 78th landing at Kennedy. Atlantis and its crew delivered to the International Space Station the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipment and supplies that will sustain station operations for the next year. STS-135 is the 33rd and final flight for Atlantis and the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis is transported along NASA Causeway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its 10-mile journey to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex where it will be put on public display.As part of transition and retirement of the Space Shuttle Program, Atlantis is to be displayed at Kennedy's Visitor Complex beginning in the summer of 2013. Over the course of its 26-year career, Atlantis traveled 125,935,769 miles during 307 days in space over 33 missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The movement of Atlantis is reflected in the water next to the tow-way as the orbiter is towed from the Shuttle Landing Facility to the Orbiter Processing Facility. Umbilical lines are still attached to the orbiter. Atlantis landed on Runway 33 at 6:21:30 a.m. EDT after the 11-day, 19-hour, 6-minute mission STS-115 to the International Space Station. Atlantis traveled 4.9 million miles, landing on orbit 187. During the mission, astronauts delivered and installed the massive P3/P4 truss, an integral part of the station's backbone, and two sets of solar arrays that will eventually provide one quarter of the station's power. In the OPF, the process flow will begin to ready the vehicle for its next flight.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Space Shuttle orbiter Endeavour touches down on Runway 15 of the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) to complete the nearly nine-day STS-89 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 5:35:09 p.m. EST on Jan. 31, 1998. The wheels stopped at 5:36:19 EST, completing a total mission time of eight days, 19 hours, 48 minutes and four seconds. The 89th Space Shuttle mission was the 42nd (and 13th consecutive) landing of the orbiter at KSC, and STS-89 was the eighth of nine planned dockings of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. STS-89 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., succeeded NASA astronaut and Mir 24 crew member David Wolf, M.D., who was on the Russian space station since late September 1997. Dr. Wolf returned to Earth on Endeavour with the remainder of the STS-89 crew, including Commander Terrence Wilcutt; Pilot Joe Edwards Jr.; and Mission Specialists James Reilly, Ph.D.; Michael Anderson; Bonnie Dunbar, Ph.D.; and Salizhan Sharipov with

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis touches down on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle approached from the southeast in a crystal-clear blue sky, giving the Space Coast quite a show. Landing was at 8 48 a.m. EDT, completing the 12-day STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. The six-member STS-132 crew carried the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 to the space station. STS-132 is the 34th shuttle mission to the station, the 132nd shuttle mission overall and the last planned flight for Atlantis.

STS073-S-047 (5 November 1995) --- The Space Shuttle Columbia makes its 18th landing, this time at the Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida - site of the majority of its more recent finishes. Landing occurred at 6:48 a.m. (EST), November 5, 1995. Onboard were five NASA astronauts and two guest researchers who had spent almost 16 full days in space in support of the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery is being towed from NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility 3. Discovery returned to Kennedy atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Sept. 21 after a two-day ferry flight. The piggybacked shuttle and aircraft touched down on the Shuttle Landing Facility's runway 33 at 12:05 p.m. EDT and the shuttle later was demated from the aircraft. Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Sept. 11 after the 13-day STS-128 mission to the International Space Station. Landings at Kennedy were waved off on two days due to inclement weather, leading to the landing at Edwards.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Shuttle Atlantis slowly backs out of Orbiter Processing Facility-1 during its final planned move to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The move called "rollover" is a major milestone in processing for the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Inside the VAB, the shuttle will be attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters. Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are targeted to launch in early July, taking with them the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing spacecraft and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems.STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the sp

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The orbiter Discovery's main landing gear kick up dust as they touch down on Runway 15 at NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility, completing mission STS-121 to the International Space Station.Discovery traveled 5.3 million miles, landing on orbit 202. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds. Main gear touchdown occurred on time at 9:14:43 EDT. Wheel stop was at 9:15:49 EDT. The returning crew members aboard are Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Mark Kelly and Mission Specialists Piers Sellers, Michael Fossum, Lisa Nowak and Stephanie Wilson. Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter, who launched with the crew on July 4, remained on the station to join the Expedition 13 crew there. The landing is the 62nd at Kennedy Space Center and the 32nd for Discovery. During the mission, the STS-121 crew tested new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, and delivered supplies and made repairs to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The orbiter Discovery, atop an orbiter transporter, heads for NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).The rollover marks the start of the journey to the launch pad and, ultimately, launch. Once inside the VAB, Discovery will be raised to vertical and lifted up and over into high bay 3 for stacking with its redesigned external tank and twin solid rocket boosters. The rollout of Space Shuttle Discovery to Launch Pad 39B is expected in approximately a week. Launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 is scheduled to take place in a window extending July 1 to July 19.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Orbiter Endeavour, mounted atop NASAs Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, is getting ready to be towed to the mate_demate device after its landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The duo completed a two-day transcontinental ferry flight from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Endeavour landed at Edwards AFB after a 12-day mission, STS-100, to the International Space Station. Endeavour will be demated from the SCA and towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 where it will begin processing for mission STS-108

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, with space shuttle Discovery attached atop, sits on the tarmac after being backed away from the mate/demate device. Known as the MDD, the devise is a large gantry-like steel structure used to hoist a shuttle off the ground and position it onto the back of the SCA.The SCA is a Boeing 747 jet that was originally manufactured for commercial use and modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth. This SCA, designated NASA 905, is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. NASA 905 is scheduled to ferry Discovery to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17, after which the shuttle will be placed on display in the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

STS122-S-069 (20 Feb. 2008) --- Space Shuttle Atlantis approaches landing on runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, concluding the 13-day STS-122 mission. Onboard are NASA astronauts Steve Frick, commander; Alan Poindexter, pilot; Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Stanley Love, Daniel Tani, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Hans Schlegel, all mission specialists. Main gear touchdown was 9:07:10 a.m. (EST). Nose gear touchdown was 9:07:20 a.m. Wheel stop was at 9:08:08 a.m. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 18 hours, 21 minutes and 44 seconds. During the mission, Atlantis' crew installed the new Columbus laboratory, leaving a larger space station and one with increased science capabilities. The Columbus Research Module adds nearly 1,000 cubic feet of habitable volume and affords room for 10 experiment racks, each an independent science lab.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the early morning darkness at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour is towed away from the Vehicle Assembly Building, beginning the short move to the nearby Shuttle Landing Facility. The spacecraft will be lifted in the gantry-like Mate-Demate Device and placed atop NASA's modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for the final ferry flight of the Space Shuttle Program. Endeavour will be placed on permanent public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

T&R Enterprise Demated from SCA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, and its piggyback passenger space shuttle Endeavour are poised to be towed into the mate/demate device, in the foreground. The device will lift the shuttle and put it back on the ground. Visible on Endeavour is the tail cone, which covers and protects the main engines during the ferry flight. After making the three-day trip from California, touchdown at Kennedy was at 2:44 p.m. EST. The SCA is a modified Boeing 747 jetliner. Endeavour landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California Nov. 30 to end mission STS-126. The return to Kennedy began Dec. 8 and took four days after stops across the country for fuel. The last stop was at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, La. Weather conditions en route and in Florida postponed the landing at Kennedy until Dec. 12.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The high-fidelity space shuttle model which was on display at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida approaches its destination, Kennedy's Launch Complex 39 turn basin, in the distance. The shuttle was part of a display at the visitor complex that also included an external tank and two solid rocket boosters that were used to show visitors the size of actual space shuttle components. The full-scale shuttle model is being transferred from Kennedy to Space Center Houston, NASA Johnson Space Center's visitor center. The model will stay at the turn basin for a few months until it is ready to be transported to Texas via barge. The move also helps clear the way for the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to begin construction of a new facility next year to display space shuttle Atlantis in 2013.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Workers accompany space shuttle Atlantis on its move from its hangar, Orbiter Processing Facility 1, to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The rollover began about 7 a.m. EDT and was complete at 8:25 a.m. when Atlantis was towed into the VAB's transfer aisle. Next, Atlantis will be lifted over a transom and lowered into the VAB's high bay 1, where it will be attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters. Rollout of the shuttle stack to Kennedys Launch Pad 39A, a significant milestone in launch processing activities, is planned for Oct. 13. Liftoff of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for 4:04 p.m. EST during a 10-minute launch window on Nov. 12.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After a three-day trip from California, the shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, and its piggyback passenger space shuttle Endeavour touch down on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Touchdown at Kennedy was at 2:44 p.m. EST. The SCA is a modified Boeing 747 jetliner. Endeavour landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California Nov. 30 to end mission STS-126. The return to Kennedy began Dec. 8 and took four days after stops across the country for fuel. The last stop was at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, La. Weather conditions en route and in Florida postponed the landing at Kennedy until Dec. 12.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After a 15-day mission to the International Space Station, space shuttle Discovery kicks up dust as its wheels touch down on Runway 33 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 1:01 p.m. EST on Nov. 7, completing mission STS-120. Main gear touchdown was 1:01:16 p.m. Wheel stop was at 1:02:07 p.m. Mission elapsed time was 15 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes and 2 seconds. The STS-120 crew continued the construction of the station with the installation of the Harmony Node 2 module and the relocation of the P6 truss.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour touches down on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to complete the 16-day, 6.5-million mile journey on the STS-127 mission to the International Space Station. Endeavour landed on orbit 248. Main gear touchdown was at 10:48:08 a.m. EDT. Nose gear touchdown was at 10:48:21 a.m. and wheels stop was at 10:49:13 a.m. Endeavour delivered the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section to the International Space Station. The mission was the 29th flight to the station, the 23rd flight of Endeavour and the 127th in the Space Shuttle Program, as well as the 71st landing at Kennedy.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis kicks up the dust on Runway 33 as it touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after 11 days in space, completing the 4.5-million mile STS-129 mission on orbit 171.Main gear touchdown was at 9:44:23 a.m. EST. Nose gear touchdown was at 9:44:36 a.m., and wheels stop was at 9:45:05 a.m. Aboard Atlantis are Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr.; and Expedition 20 and 21 Flight Engineer Nicole Stott who spent 87 days aboard the International Space Station. STS-129 is the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight on the manifest. On STS-129, the crew delivered 14 tons of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, including two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers containing spare parts to sustain station operations after the shuttles are retired next year.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour, mounted atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft or SCA, taxis down the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The SCA, a modified 747 jetliner, will fly Endeavour to Los Angeles where it will be placed on public display at the California Science Center. This is the final ferry flight scheduled in the Space Shuttle Program era.

Space Shuttle Discovery touches down, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, USA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery's "towback" vehicle slowly pulls the spacecraft from the Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A purge unit that pumps conditioned air into a shuttle after landing is connected to Discovery's aft end. Discovery touched down on Runway 15 at 11:57 a.m., bringing an end to its 39th and final spaceflight mission, STS-133. Discovery and its six-member STS-133 crew delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station.Inside the processing facility, Discovery will be prepared for future public display.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The orbiter Endeavour, atop its transporter, rolls toward the gaping doorway of the Vehicle Assembly Building. In the VAB, it will be stacked with the external tank and solid rocket boosters atop the mobile launcher platform for its launch on mission STS-118. The mission will be Endeavour's first flight in more than four years. The shuttle has undergone extensive modifications, including the addition of safety upgrades already added to shuttles Discovery and Atlantis. Endeavour also features new hardware, such as the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System that will allow the docked shuttle to draw electrical power from the station and extend its visits to the orbiting lab. Endeavour is targeted for launch on Aug. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the crew transport vehicle has drawn up to the crew hatch on space shuttle Atlantis after landing. The crew transfers into the CTV to change from their launch and entry suits and later greet NASA VIPs and the media. After a round trip of nearly 5.3 million miles, Atlantis and crew returned to Earth with a landing at 9:07 a.m. EST.The shuttle landed on orbit 202 to complete the 13-day STS-122 mission. Main gear touchdown was 9:07:10 a.m. Nose gear touchdown was 9:07:20 a.m. Wheel stop was at 9:08:08 a.m. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 18 hours, 21 minutes and 44 seconds. During the mission, Atlantis' crew installed the new Columbus laboratory, leaving a larger space station and one with increased science capabilities. The Columbus Research Module adds nearly 1,000 cubic feet of habitable volume and affords room for 10 experiment racks, each an independent science lab.

STS-50 Columbia's, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102's, main landing gear touches down on runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) producing a small cloud of dust. Landing occurred at 7 42 am (Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)). In this view of the OV-102's starboard side, the nose landing gear (NLG) continues to ride above the runway surface. Florida vegetation, a runway sign, and runway lights appear in the foreground.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery glides above Runway 15 before touching down at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Landing was at 11:57 a.m. EST, completing the 13-day STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Main gear touchdown was at 11:57:17 a.m., followed by nose gear touchdown at 11:57:28, and wheelstop at 11:58:14 a.m. On board are Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe, and Mission Specialists Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, Alvin Drew and Steve Bowen. Discovery and its six-member crew delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost. STS-133 was Discovery's 39th and final mission. This was the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

STS113-S-044 (7 December 2002) --- The Space Shuttle Endeavours main landing gear is just about to touch down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), completing the nearly 14-day STS-113 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Astronaut James D. Wetherbee, mission commander, eased Endeavour to a textbook landing at 2:37 p.m. (EST) on December 7, 2002. The landing completed a 5.74-million mile mission that saw successful delivery and installation of the Port One (P1) truss on the orbital outpost.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Against a setting sun, space shuttle Atlantis, atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, is towed from the runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The SCA is a modified Boeing 747 jetliner. Atlantis returned from California atop the SCA after its May 24 landing at Edwards Air Force Base, concluding mission STS-125. The ferry flight from Edwards Air Force Base began June 1. Atlantis' next assignment is the STS-129 mission, targeted to launch in November 2009.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis is towed back from the mate/demate device at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The orbiter will be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility, where processing will begin for its next launch, mission STS-122 in December. Visible on Atlantis is the tail cone that covers and protects the main engines during the ferry flight. Atlantis arrived at Kennedy Space Center atop the SCA on July 3 after a three-day, cross-country flight due to fuel stops and weather delays. Touchdown was at 8:27 a.m. EDT. Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on June 22 to end mission STS-117.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With landing gear down, space shuttle Atlantis approaches landing on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after 11 days in space, completing the 4.5-million mile STS-129 mission on orbit 171.Main gear touchdown was at 9:44:23 a.m. EST. Nose gear touchdown was at 9:44:36 a.m., and wheels stop was at 9:45:05 a.m. Aboard Atlantis are Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr.; and Expedition 20 and 21 Flight Engineer Nicole Stott who spent 87 days aboard the International Space Station. STS-129 is the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight on the manifest. On STS-129, the crew delivered 14 tons of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, including two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers containing spare parts to sustain station operations after the shuttles are retired next year.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' drag chute deploys as the main gear touches down on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Landing was at 8 48 a.m. EDT, completing the 12-day STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. Main gear touchdown was at 8 48 11 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 8 48 21 a.m. and wheelstop at 8 49 18 a.m. On board are Commander Ken Ham, Pilot Tony Antonelli, Mission Specialists Garrett Reisman, Michael Good, Steve Bowen and Piers Sellers. The six-member STS-132 crew carried the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 to the International Space Station. STS-132 is the 34th shuttle mission to the station, the 132nd shuttle mission overall and the last planned flight for Atlantis.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Discovery lands on runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 9:14 a.m. EDT. Discovery's landing following the successful STS-121 mission was as exhilarating as its launch, the first to take place on America's Independence Day. During the nearly 13-day mission, the STS-121 crew tested new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, and delivered supplies and made repairs to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Towed on its 76-wheeled orbiter transporter, space shuttle Discovery begins its turn away from the Orbiter Processing Facility to roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. In high bay 3 of the VAB, Discovery will be attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters in preparation for its upcoming STS-124 mission to the International Space Station. On the mission, the STS-124 crew will transport the Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System to the space station. Launch of Discovery is targeted for May 31.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery is towed into position next to the mate-demate device, or MDD, at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A tail cone has been installed over its three replica shuttle main engines to reduce aerodynamic drag and turbulence during its upcoming ferry flight.The MDD is a large gantry-like steel structure used to hoist a shuttle off the ground and position it onto the back of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA. The SCA is a Boeing 747 jet, originally manufactured for commercial use, which was modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth. The SCA designated NASA 905 is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. Discoverys new home will be the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis makes its slow trek from the Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility-1. Atlantis touched down on Runway 33 after 12 days in space, completing the 4.8-million mile STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. The six-member STS-132 crew carried the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 to the space station. STS-132 is the 34th shuttle mission to the station, the 132nd shuttle mission overall and the last planned flight for Atlantis.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A safety vehicle waits near Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility as orbiter Endeavour approaches for a landing, completing mission STS-108 after a mission-elapsed time of 11 days, 19 hours and 35 minutes. The landing is the 57th at KSC in the history of the program. Main gear touchdown occurred at 12 55 10 p.m. EST (17 55 10 GMT), nose gear touchdown at 12 55 23 p.m. (17 55 23 GMT) , wheel stop at 12 56 13 p.m. (17 56 13 GMT). STS-108 was the 12th mission to the International Space Station. This mission was the 107th flight in the Shuttle program and the 17th flight for the orbiter. Endeavour carries both the mission crew and the Expedition 3 crew - Commander Frank Culbertson and cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin - who are returning to Earth after 129 days in space on the Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the early morning hours at NASA Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, with space shuttle Discovery secured atop, taxies past the midpoint on its way for a takeoff on runway 15 at 7 a.m. EDT. In the background is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building.The aircraft, known as an SCA, is a Boeing 747 jet, originally manufactured for commercial use, which was modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth. This SCA, designated NASA 905, is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. NASA 905 is scheduled to ferry Discovery to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17, after which the shuttle will be placed on display in the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

STS058-S-128 (1 Nov 1993) --- The nose gear of the Space Shuttle Columbia is about to touch down on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) in California. The landing, which occurred at 7 06 a.m. (PST), November 1, 1993, completed a two week mission in space devoted to medical research. Onboard the spacecraft were astronauts John E. Blaha, Richard A. Searfoss, Rhea Seddon, Shannon W. Lucid, David A. Wolf and William S. McArthur along with payload specialist Martin J. Fettman, DVM.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is slowly towed from the Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the last time. Atlantis' final return from space at 5:57 a.m. EDT secured the space shuttle fleet's place in history and brought a close to the America's Space Shuttle Program. There to welcome Atlantis home are the thousands of workers who have processed, launched and landed the shuttles for more than three decades. STS-135 delivered spare parts, equipment and supplies to the International Space Station. STS-135 was the 33rd and final flight for Atlantis, which has spent 307 days in space, orbited Earth 4,848 times and traveled 125,935,769 miles.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery touches down on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to complete the 13-day, 5.3-million mile journey on the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station. Main gear touchdown was at 3:13:17 p.m. EDT. Nose gear touchdown was at 3:13:40 p.m. and wheels stop was at 3:14:45 p.m. Discovery delivered the final pair of large power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. The mission was the 28th flight to the station, the 36th flight of Discovery and the 125th in the Space Shuttle Program, as well as the 70th landing at Kennedy.

STS-49 Orbiter Endeavour landed at Edwards Air Force Base on May 16, 1992 after a successful nine day mission dedicated to the retrieval, repair, and redeployment of the INTELSAT VI (F-3) satellite. The communication satellite for the International Telecommunication Satellite organization had been stranded in an unusable orbit since its launch aboard the Titan rocket in March 1990. The mission marked the first time 3 astronauts worked simultaneously outside the space craft.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis touches down on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after 11 days in space, completing the 4.5-million mile STS-129 mission on orbit 171.Main gear touchdown was at 9:44:23 a.m. EST. Nose gear touchdown was at 9:44:36 a.m., and wheels stop was at 9:45:05 a.m. Aboard Atlantis are Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr.; and Expedition 20 and 21 Flight Engineer Nicole Stott who spent 87 days aboard the International Space Station. STS-129 is the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight on the manifest. On STS-129, the crew delivered 14 tons of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, including two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers containing spare parts to sustain station operations after the shuttles are retired next year.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis nears touchdown on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Landing was at 8 48 a.m. EDT, completing the 12-day STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. Main gear touchdown was at 8 48 11 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 8 48 21 a.m. and wheelstop at 8 49 18 a.m. On board are Commander Ken Ham, Pilot Tony Antonelli, Mission Specialists Garrett Reisman, Michael Good, Steve Bowen and Piers Sellers. The six-member STS-132 crew carried the Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 to the International Space Station. STS-132 is the 34th shuttle mission to the station, the 132nd shuttle mission overall and the last planned flight for Atlantis.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On its journey to the Orbiter Processing Facility, Atlantis, in tow, turns from the tow-way toward the OPF. Atlantis returned from California atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft after its Feb. 19 landing at Edwards Air Force Base, concluding mission STS-98. The ferry flight began March 1; unfavorable weather conditions kept it on the ground at Altus AFB, Okla., until it could return to Florida. In the Orbiter Processing Facility, Atlantis will be prepared for mission STS-104, the 10th construction flight to the International Space Station, scheduled to launch June 8

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A "towback" vehicle slowly pulls space shuttle Atlantis toward Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A purge unit that pumps conditioned air into a shuttle after landing is connected to Atlantis' aft end. Once inside the processing facility, Atlantis will be prepared for future public display at Kennedy's Visitor Complex.Atlantis' final return from space at 5:57 a.m. EDT concluded the STS-135 mission, secured the space shuttle fleet's place in history and brought a close to America's Space Shuttle Program. Main gear touchdown was at 5:57:00 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 5:57:20 a.m., and wheelstop at 5:57:54 a.m. On board were STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim. On the 37th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-135 delivered the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, eq

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-79 mission comes to a successful conclusion as the orbiter Atlantis touches down on Runway 15 of KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 8:13:15 a.m. EDT, September 26. On board is U.S. astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, who has been living and working on the Russian Space Station Mir for about six months. Lucid has spent 188 days in space from launch aboard Atlantis in March to her return today, establishing a U.S. record for long-duration spaceflight as well as representing the longest spaceflight for a woman. Succeeding Lucid on Mir is U.S. astronaut John E. Blaha, who embarked to Mir with the STS-79 crew. The commander of Mission STS-79 is William F. Readdy; Terrence W. Wilcutt is the pilot, and the three mission specialists are Jay Apt, Thomas D. Akers and Carl E. Walz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis moves out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its 10-mile trip to the Kennedy Visitor Complex where it will be put on public display.As part of transition and retirement of the Space Shuttle Program, Atlantis is to be displayed at Kennedy's Visitor Complex beginning in the summer of 2013. Over the course of its 26-year career, Atlantis traveled 125,935,769 miles during 307 days in space over 33 missions.

NASA space shuttle Columbia hitched a ride on a special 747 carrier aircraft for the flight from Palmdale, California, to Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on March 1, 2001.A half hour behind Columbia's takeoff, the shuttle Atlantis departed the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, also bound for Kennedy Space Center.

The space shuttle Endeavour and its crew land, Friday, July 31, 2009 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, completing a 16-day journey of more than 6.5 million miles. Endeavour delivered the final segment to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and a new crew member to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After rolling out of Orbiter Processing Facility 2, space shuttle Endeavour rolls through the open doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. In the VAB, Endeavour will be attached to its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters. After additional preparations are made, the shuttle will be rolled out to Launch Pad 39B. Endeavour is the backup shuttle, if needed for rescue, for space shuttle Atlantis STS-125 mission to NASAs Hubble Space Telescope targeted for October.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the convoy team 'safe' space shuttle Discovery after its landing on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The convoy is made up of about 40 vehicles, including 25 specially designed vehicles, and a team of trained personnel who 'safe' the shuttle, prepare it for towing, assist the crew in leaving the shuttle, and finally, tow the shuttle to its hangar. Main gear touchdown was at 9 08 35 a.m. EDT followed by nose gear touchdown at 9 08 47 a.m. and wheelstop at 9 09 33 a.m. Aboard are Commander Alan Poindexter; Pilot James P. Dutton Jr.; and Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio, Clayton Anderson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson and Naoko Yamazaki of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The seven-member STS-131 crew carried the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that were transferred to the International Space Statio

Shuttle Replica Preparations for Barge Departure

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center workers, guests and members of the media watch as space shuttle Atlantis arrives at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida where it will be put on public display. Atlantis completed its 10-mile journey from Kennedys Vehicle Assembly Building.As part of transition and retirement of the Space Shuttle Program, Atlantis will be displayed at Kennedys Visitor Complex beginning in the summer of 2013. Over the course of its 26-year career, Atlantis traveled 125,935,769 miles during 307 days in space over 33 missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Columbia touches down on Runway 33 at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 2:33:11 p.m. EDT, April 8, to conclude the Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) mission. At main gear touchdown, the STS-83 mission duration was 3 days, 23 hours, 12 minutes. The planned 16-day mission was cut short by a faulty fuel cell. This is only the third time in Shuttle program history that an orbiter was brought home early due to mechanical problems. This was also the 36th KSC landing since the program began in 1981. Mission Commander James D. Halsell, Jr. flew Columbia to a perfect landing with help from Pilot Susan L. Still. Other crew members are Payload Commander Janice E. Voss; Mission Specialists Michael L. Gernhardt and Donald A. Thomas; and Payload Specialists Roger K. Crouch and Gregory T. Linteris. In spite of the abbreviated flight, the crew was able to perform MSL-1 experiments. The Spacelab-module-based experiments were used to test some of t

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Under a blue sky washed with clouds, Endeavour has wheels down for a landing on runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, completing a 13-day mission to the International Space Station. The STS-118 mission began Aug. 8 and installed a new gyroscope, an external spare parts platform and another truss segment to the expanding station. Endeavour's main gear touched down at 12:32:16 p.m. EDT. Nose gear touchdown was at 12:32:29 p.m. and wheel stop was at 12:33:20 p.m. Endeavour traveled nearly 5.3 million miles, landing on orbit 201. STS-118 was the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the station, the 20th flight for Endeavour and the second of four missions planned for 2007. This was the 65th landing of an orbiter at Kennedy.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Preparations are under way to tow space shuttle Discovery to the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Discovery was in storage in the Vehicle Assembly Buildings high bay 4 awaiting departure from Kennedys Launch Complex 39 area for the final time. At the SLF, Discovery will be hoisted onto a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, with the aid of a mate-demate device. The SCA, a modified Boeing 747 jet airliner, is scheduled to transport Discovery to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17, after which the shuttle will be placed on permanent public display in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Shuttle Atlantis and Space Shuttle Mission STS-38 lands at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 4 43 p.m. EST. This is the first Shuttle landing at KSC since 1985.

STS116-S-058 (22 Dec. 2006) --- As the sun sets, Discovery's main landing gear touches down on Runway 15 at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, concluding mission STS-116. Aboard are astronauts Mark L. Polansky, commander; William A. Oefelein, pilot; and Robert L. Curbeam Jr., Joan E. Higginbotham, Nicholas J.M. Patrick and European Space Agency astronauts Christer Fuglesang and Thomas Reiter--all mission specialists. Reiter is returning from a six-month stay on the International Space Station. During the mission, three spacewalks attached the P5 integrated truss structure to the station, and completed the rewiring of the orbiting laboratory's power system. A contingency spacewalk was added to retract a stubborn solar array. Main gear touchdown was at 5:32 p.m. (EST). Nose gear touchdown was at 5:32:12 p.m. and wheel stop was at 5:32:52 p.m. At touchdown -- nominally about 2,500 ft. beyond the runway threshold -- the orbiter is traveling at a speed ranging from 213

The Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia is reflected in a nearby pond as it rolls over to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) June 4 from Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) 1 atop its transporter in preparation for the STS-94 mission. Once inside the VAB, Columbia will be hoisted to be mated with its solid rocket boosters and external tank. Columbia was moved to the OPF April 8 after the completion of the STS-83 mission. KSC payloads processing employees then began work to reservice the Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) Spacelab module in the orbiters payload bay for the STS-94 mission. This was the first time that this type of payload was reserviced without removing it from the payload bay. This new procedure pioneers processing efforts for possible quick relaunch turnaround times for future payloads. The MSL-1 module will fly again with the full complement of STS-83 experiments after that mission was cut short due to indications of a faulty fuel cell. During the sch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery, pulled by its "towback" vehicle, approaches Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Towering above the processing bays is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building. Discovery touched down on the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 at 11:57 a.m., bringing an end to its 39th and final spaceflight mission, STS-133. Discovery and its six-member STS-133 crew delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station.Inside the processing facility, Discovery will be prepared for future public display.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis returns to KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility from mission STS-79

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Support personnel walk with the high-fidelity space shuttle model which was on display at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida as it rolls through the parking lot leading to Kennedy's Launch Complex 39 turn basin. Behind it are the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building and the Launch Control Center. The shuttle was part of a display at the visitor complex that also included an external tank and two solid rocket boosters that were used to show visitors the size of actual space shuttle components. The full-scale shuttle model is being transferred from Kennedy to Space Center Houston, NASA Johnson Space Center's visitor center. The model will stay at the turn basin for a few months until it is ready to be transported to Texas via barge. The move also helps clear the way for the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to begin construction of a new facility next year to display space shuttle Atlantis in 2013.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Under tow by a diesel-powered tractor, the orbiter Discovery rolls to the Orbiter Processing Facility from NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) via a two-mile tow-way. Umbilical lines for coolant and purge air are still attached. Discovery landed at the SLF at 9:14 a.m. EDT, completing mission STS-121. Discovery traveled 5.3 million miles, landing on orbit 202. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds. Main gear touchdown occurred on time at 9:14:43 EDT. Wheel stop was at 9:15:49 EDT. During the mission, the STS-121 crew tested new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, and delivered supplies and made repairs to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the early morning hours at NASA Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, with space shuttle Discovery secured atop, taxies past the midpoint on its way for a takeoff on runway 15 at 7 a.m. EDT. The aircraft, known as an SCA, is a Boeing 747 jet, originally manufactured for commercial use, which was modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth. This SCA, designated NASA 905, is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. NASA 905 is scheduled to ferry Discovery to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17, after which the shuttle will be placed on display in the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home is ready for takeoff from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT.The aircraft, known as an SCA, is a Boeing 747 jet, originally manufactured for commercial use, which was modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth. This SCA, designated NASA 905, is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. NASA 905 is scheduled to ferry Discovery to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17, after which the shuttle will be placed on display in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the space shuttle Endeavour, mounted atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, has rolled back from the mate-demate device in preparation for its ferry flight to California. In the foreground is a NASA T-38 jet.The SCA, a modified 747 jetliner, will fly Endeavour to Los Angeles where it will be placed on public display at the California Science Center. This is the final ferry flight scheduled in the Space Shuttle Program era.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour's drag chute deploys to slow the orbiter as it rolls out on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base at the conclusion of its 14-day STS-111 mission to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Endeavour raises dust as it glides to a smooth landing on Runway 15 at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, completing mission STS-108. Endeavour carries both the mission crew and the Expedition 3 crew - Commander Frank Culbertson and cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin - who are returning to Earth after 129 days in space on the International Space Station. After a mission-elapsed time of 11 days, 19 hours and 35 minutes, Endeavour had main gear touchdown at 12:55:10 p.m. EST (17:55:10 GMT). Nose gear touchdown occurred at 12:55:23 p.m. (17:55:23 GMT); wheel stop at 12:56:13 p.m. (17:56:13 GMT). Rollout distance was 8,941 feet. The landing is the 57th at KSC in the history of the program STS-108 was the 12th mission to the Space Station. This mission was the 107th flight in the Shuttle program and the 17th flight for the orbiter

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the early morning hours at NASA Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, with space shuttle Discovery secured atop, begins takeoff on runway 15 at 7 a.m. EDT.The aircraft, known as an SCA, is a Boeing 747 jet, originally manufactured for commercial use, which was modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth. This SCA, designated NASA 905, is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. NASA 905 is scheduled to ferry Discovery to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17, after which the shuttle will be placed on display in the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers gather to watch the rollover of Endeavour to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Here the orbiter is backing out of the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2. In the VAB Endeavour will be stacked with its solid rocket boosters and external tank atop the Mobile Launcher Platform. Endeavour is scheduled to launch April 19 on mission STS-100, the ninth flight to the International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Slowly, carefully, space shuttle Atlantis is pulled from Orbiter Processing Facility-2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Atlantis will be stored temporarily in the VAB while transition and retirement processing resumes on shuttle Endeavour in the processing hangar. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home -- a 65,000-square-foot exhibit in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. For additional information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle.

With the aid of a drogue chute, Space Shuttle Discovery slows to a stop on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to complete the 13-day, 5.3-million mile journey to the International Space Station.

S82-33394 (5 July 1982) --- A rare sight in Houston is the appearance of the spacecraft whose flights are monitored from that city, but with the brief stopover of NASA's new space shuttle Challenger, thousands of area residents were afforded that opportunity yesterday as part of a nationwide special July 4 celebration. Here, the Challenger and its NASA 905 (a modified Boeing 747 aircraft) transport vehicle are readied for the completion of the journey from California to Florida. The Columbia landed in California yesterday and the Enterprise was already there, so three shuttlecraft were together as appropriate backdrops for a space-oriented July 4 speech by President Ronald Reagan. Crew for the NASA 905 for Challenger's Florida trip from Houston were Pilot Joseph S. Algranti, Co-Pilot Francis R. (Dick) Scobee.

The Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery rolls over from Orbiter Processing Facility 2 on top of the orbiter transporter to the Vehicle Assembly Building for mating with its external tank and solid rocket boosters in preparation for the STS-85 mission. Several payloads will be aboard Discovery during the 11-day mission, including the Manipulator Flight Demonstration (MFD) and the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-Shuttle Pallet Satellite-2 (CRISTA-SPAS-2), as well as the Technology Applications and Science-1 (TAS-1) and International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-2) experiments.

The Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis touches down on Runway 33 of the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, bringing to an end the nine-day STS-84 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 9:27:44 EDT on May 24, 1997.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis moves out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its 10-mile trip to the Kennedy Visitor Complex where it will be put on public display.As part of transition and retirement of the Space Shuttle Program, Atlantis is to be displayed at Kennedy's Visitor Complex beginning in the summer of 2013. Over the course of its 26-year career, Atlantis traveled 125,935,769 miles during 307 days in space over 33 missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Endeavour passes the air traffic control tower (left) next to the Shuttle Landing Facility as it touches down on runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after traveling nearly 5.3 million miles on mission STS-118. Behind Endeavour is the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Space Shuttle Endeavour crew, led by Commander Scott Kelly, completes a 13-day mission to the International Space Station. The STS-118 mission began Aug. 8 and installed a new gyroscope, an external spare parts platform and another truss segment to the expanding station. Endeavour's main gear touched down at 12:32:16 p.m. EDT. Nose gear touchdown was at 12:32:29 p.m. and wheel stop was at 12:33:20 p.m. Endeavour landed on orbit 201. STS-118 was the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the station, the 20th flight for Endeavour and the second of four missions planned for 2007. This was the 65th landing of an orbiter at Kennedy.

STS086-S-013 (6 Oct 1997) --- The main landing gear of the Space Shuttle Atlantis is about to touch down on the Kennedy Space Centers (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility to complete the STS-86 mission. Touchdown occurred at 5:55:09 p.m. (EDT), October 6, 1997. Onboard were astronauts James D. Wetherbee, Michael J. Bloomfield, Wendy B. Lawrence, Scott F. Parazynski, Vladimir G. Titov, C. Michael Foale and Jean-Loup J. M. Chretien. Chretien and Titov represent the French Space Agency (CNES) and the Russian Space Agency (RSA), respectively.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Hitching a ride on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, a modified Boeing 747, space shuttle Atlantis has landed at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi for a fuel stop on its journey back to Florida. Atlantis' next assignment is the STS-129 mission, targeted to launch in November 2009.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is slowly towed from the Shuttle Landing Facility runway to Orbiter Processing Facility-2 for the last time. Atlantis' final return to Earth on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida occurred at 5:57 a.m. EDT July 21, 2011. Securing the space shuttle fleet's place in history, Atlantis marks the 26th nighttime landing of NASA's Space Shuttle Program and the 78th landing at Kennedy. Atlantis and its crew delivered to the International Space Station the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipment and supplies that will sustain station operations for the next year. STS-135 is the 33rd and final flight for Atlantis and the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The Orion boilerplate test vehicle is being moved into a protective structure at the Mole Pier at the Naval Base San Diego in California for a simulated fit check of the hatch cover. The test vehicle is attached to the crew module recovery cradle. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy are evaluating the hardware and processes for preparing the Orion crew module for Exploration Flight Test-1, or EFT-1, for overland transport from the naval base to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch later this year atop a Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida t

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The high-fidelity space shuttle model that was on display at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida negotiates the turn from Kennedy Parkway onto Schwartz Road on its way toward NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 turn basin. It is standard procedure for large payloads and equipment to travel against the normal flow of traffic under the supervision of a move crew when being transported on or off center property.The shuttle was part of a display at the visitor complex that also included an external tank and two solid rocket boosters that were used to show visitors the size of actual space shuttle components. The full-scale shuttle model is being transferred from Kennedy to Space Center Houston, NASA Johnson Space Center's visitor center. The model will stay at the turn basin for a few months until it is ready to be transported to Texas via barge. The move also helps clear the way for the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to begin c

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