Space Shuttle Landings

NASA's space shuttles landing at Kennedy Space Center, demonstrating monumental moments in space exploration with detailed imagery of shuttle descents and operations.

STS081-S-008 (22 Jan. 1997) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis touches down on Runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to conclude the fifth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Coming to a halt at 9:22:44 a.m. (EST), January 22, the mission also accomplished the return of astronaut John E. Blaha, cosmonaut guest researcher, who had been aboard Russia's Mir Space Station complex since mid September 1996. Blaha was replaced by Jerry M. Linenger during the five days of joint activities of the Mir-22 and STS-81 crewmembers while Atlantis and Mir were docked in Earth-orbit. At main gear touchdown, the mission's duration was 10 days, 4 hours and 55 minutes. This was the 34th space shuttle landing at KSC. The crew aboard at landing included astronauts Michael A. Baker, commander; Brent W. Jett, Jr., pilot; Blaha; and mission specialists Marsha S. Ivins, Peter J. K. (Jeff) Wisoff and John M. Grunsfeld.

STS081-S-008 (22 Jan. 1997) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis touches down on Runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to conclude the fifth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Coming to a halt at 9:22:44 a.m. (EST), January 22, the mission also accomplished the return of astronaut John E. Blaha, cosmonaut guest researcher, who had been aboard Russia's Mir Space Station complex since mid September 1996. Blaha was replaced by Jerry M. Linenger during the five days of joint activities of the Mir-22 and STS-81 crewmembers while Atlantis and Mir were docked in Earth-orbit. At main gear touchdown, the mission's duration was 10 days, 4 hours and 55 minutes. This was the 34th space shuttle landing at KSC. The crew aboard at landing included astronauts Michael A. Baker, commander; Brent W. Jett, Jr., pilot; Blaha; and mission specialists Marsha S. Ivins, Peter J. K. (Jeff) Wisoff and John M. Grunsfeld.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a tractor tow vehicle is backed up to space shuttle Discovery. Towing normally begins approximately within four hours after landing and is completed within six hours unless removal of time-sensitive experiments require an additional period on the runway. Umbilicals are attached to purge the vehicle of any possible residual explosive or toxic fumes. The tractor tow vehicle will pull Discovery along a two-mile tow-way to the Orbiter Processing Facility, or OPF, where processing Discovery for another flight begins. The tow vehicle is very much like the typical towing units used for large aircraft, but it is equipped with a special towing bar designed specifically for the orbiter. In the OPF, turnaround processing procedures on Discovery will include various post-flight deservicing and maintenance functions, which are carried out in parallel with payload removal and the installation of equip

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The space shuttle Atlantis kicks up dust as it touches down on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The nose gear on space shuttle Discovery descends to support touch down on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery's final return from space completed the 13-day, 5.3-million-mile STS-133 mission. 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.

STS116-S-072 (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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Orbiter Endeavour touches down on Runway 15 at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With drag chute deployed, the Space Shuttle Columbia hurtles down Runway 33 at KSCþs Shuttle Landing Facility to conclude the Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) mission. With main gear touchdown at 2:33:11 p.m. EDT, April 8, the STS-83 mission duration was 3 days, 23 hours, 12 minutes.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis is towed from the Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility-1, or OPF-1. Atlantis touched down on Runway 33 after 11 days in space, completing the 4.5-million mile STS-129 mission to the International Space Station on orbit 171. In OPF-1, processing will begin for Atlantis' next mission, designated STS-132.The 34th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, Atlantis will deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier and Russian-built Mini Research Module, or MRM, to the orbiting laboratory on STS-132. The second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia, the MRM will be permanently attached to the bottom port of the Zarya module. The Russian module also will carry U.S. pressurized cargo. Three spacewalks are planned to stage spare components outside the station, including six spare batteries, a boom assembly for the Ku-band antenna and spares for the Canadian Dextre ro

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' 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. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' 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. 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.

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, with its piggyback cargo the orbiter Atlantis, is towed to the parking area at the Shuttle Landing Facility. There it will be demated from the orbiter in the mate/demate device. Atlantis landed in California Feb. 19 concluding mission STS-98. The ferry flight began in California March 1; unfavorable weather conditions kept it on the ground at Altus AFB, Okla., until it could return to Florida. The orbiter will next fly on mission STS-104, the 10th construction flight to the International Space Station, scheduled June 8

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- With its drag chute trailing behind, orbiter Discovery and its crew land on KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility runway 15. Main gear touchdown was at 2 22 58 p.m. EDT, wheel stop at 2 24 06 p.m. EDT. The 11-day, 21-hour, 12-minute mission accomplished the goals set for the 11th flight to the International Space Station swapout of the resident Station crew, delivery of equipment supplies and scientific experiments, and installation of the Early Ammonia Servicer and heater cables for the S0 truss on the Station. Discovery traveled 4.3 million miles on its 30th flight into space, the 106th mission of the Space Shuttle program. The landing was the first out of five in 2001to occur in daylight at KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After a nearly 5.3 million mile round trip to the International Space Station, space shuttle Atlantis touches down on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. 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.

Towed from the Shuttle Landing Facility, Atlantis heads for the Orbiter Processing Facility (far right). The large building is the Vehicle Assembly Building, where orbiters are mated to their solid rocket booster-external tank stack prior to rollout to the launch pad. In view is the tail cone that orbiters use when being carried piggyback on ferry flights atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The tail cone protects the aft engine area and provides a more efficient aeronautical dimension during flight. 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

STS083-S-009 (8 April 1997) --- The Space Shuttle Columbia nears touchdown on the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) runway at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), after completing almost four days of a scheduled 16-day mission in Earth-orbit. A problem with one of three fuel cells led to an early landing for the seven-member Microgravity Science Laboratory 1 (MSL-1) crew. Touchdown occurred at 1:33:11 p.m. (EDT), April 8, 1997. Onboard Columbia were James D. Halsell, Jr., Susan L. Still, Janice E. Voss, Donald A. Thomas, Michael L. Gernhardt, Roger K. Crouch and Gregory T. Linteris.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis moves from Orbiter Processing Facility-2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Atlantis will be moved to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in November where it will be placed on public display.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Discovery rolls from the Vehicle Assembly Building to begin Orbiter Major Modifications.

STS113-S-021 (7 December 2002) --- The main landing gear of Space Shuttle Endeavour touches down on runway 33 at the KSC landing facility, 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 on runway 33 at the Florida spaceport 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. - 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. -- The space shuttle Atlantis approaches touch down on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. 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.

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.

Space Shuttle Atlantis and the STS-117 crew return home safely, completing their 14-day mission to the International Space Station. The mission launched on June 8, 2007, and ended on June 22, 2007 at 3:49 p.m EDT, when Atlantis touched down at Edwards Air Force Base.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The orbiter Columbia, atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, taxis on the runway at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Skid Strip. The ferry flight began in California March 1. Unfavorable weather conditions kept it on the ground at Dyess AFB, Texas, until it could return to Florida. Columbia is returning from a 17-month-long modification and refurbishment process as part of a routine maintenance plan. The orbiter will next fly on mission STS-107, scheduled Oct. 25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery nears touchdown on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Landing was at 9:08 a.m. EDT, completing the 15-day STS-131 mission to the International Space Station. 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 Station's laboratories. The crew also switched out a gyroscope on the stations truss, installed a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieved a Japanese experiment from the stations exterio

The final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-134 on Pad 39A at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

STS119-S-048 (28 March 2009) --- Space Shuttle Discovery approaches landing on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, concluding the 13-day, 5.3-million mile journey of the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station. Onboard are NASA astronauts Lee Archambault, commander; Tony Antonelli, pilot; Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, Joseph Acaba, John Phillips and Sandra Magnus, all mission specialists. The main landing gear touched down at 3:13:17 p.m. (EDT) on March 28, 2009. The nose gear touched down at 3:13:40 p.m. and wheels stop was at 3:14:45 p.m. During the mission, Discoverys crew delivered and installed the final pair of large power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment to the starboard, or right, side of the station and accomplished important tasks to prepare the station for future upgrades and additions later this year.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis arrives at its destination, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, accompanied by an entourage including current and former astronauts. Atlantis has completed its 10-mile journey from Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building to its new home.As part of transition and retirement of the Space Shuttle Program, Atlantis will be displayed in a new exhibit hall 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, completing 33 missions during 307 days in space.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With wheels down, space shuttle Atlantis approaches a landing on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after a nearly 5.3 million mile round trip to the International Space Station. 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. Photo courtesy of Chuck Luzier

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians assist as space shuttle Endeavour is being towed from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2).Shuttle Endeavour will remain in OPF-2 so that the orbiter maneuvering system (OMS) pods and forward reaction control system can be installed. Technicians also will offload water and Freon gas from lines located in Endeavours midbody. The work is part of Endeavours transition and retirement processing. The spacecraft is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122, 883, 151 miles over the course of its 19-year career. Endeavours STS-134 and final mission was completed after landing on June 1, 2011.

EDWARDS, Calif. - ED09-0127-04 - A drag chute slows the speed of space shuttle Atlantis as it touches down on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base in California, ending a journey of 5.3 million miles on the STS-125 mission to repair and upgrade NASAs Hubble Space Telescope. Main gear touchdown was at 11:39:05 a.m. EDT. Nose gear touchdown was at 11:39:15 a.m. EDT. Wheel stop was at 11:40:15 a.m., bringing the missions elapsed time to 12 days, 21 hours, 37 minutes, 9 seconds. Landing opportunities on May 22, May 23 and May 24 were waved off due to weather concerns at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the shuttles primary landing site. Through five spacewalks, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was refurbished and upgraded with state-of-the-art science instruments that will expand Hubble's capabilities and extend its operational lifespan through at least 2014.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, with space shuttle Discovery on top, is ready for towing from the Shuttle Landing Facility's runway 33 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after touching down at 12:05 p.m. EDT. The two-day return flight from Edwards Air Force Base in California began at 9:20 a.m. EDT Sept. 20. After three fueling stops that included an overnight stay in Louisiana, the piggybacked shuttle had to navigate through a line of showers across Louisiana and around Kennedy. Discovery had landed at Edwards Sept. 11 after the 13-day STS-128 mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle delivered more than 7 tons of supplies, science racks and equipment, as well as additional environmental hardware to sustain six crew members on the station. Landings at Kennedy were waved off on two days due to inclement weather, leading to the landing at Edwards.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery touches down on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its second opportunity March 28, 2009, 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.

The Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise (OV-101) during a public display to celebrate the Air and Space Bicentennial. The Enterprise is mounted on the NASA 747-123 Space Shuttle Orbiter carrier aircraft. Base: Dulles International Airport State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, with the orbiter Columbia strapped to its back, waits at the Shuttle Landing Facility for clear weather to take off for its final destination, Palmdale, Calif. The oldest of four orbiters in NASA's fleet, Columbia is being ferried to Palmdale to undergo extensive inspections and modifications in Boeing's Orbiter Assembly Facility. The nine-month orbiter maintenance down period (OMDP) is the second in Columbia's history. Orbiters are periodically removed from flight operations for an OMDP. Columbia's first was in 1994. Along with more than 100 modifications on the vehicle, Columbia will be the second orbiter to be outfitted with the multifunctional electronic display system, or "glass cockpit." Columbia is expected to return to KSC in July 2000

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A large team of specialists works methodically through procedures to "safe" Endeavour as it sits on the runway after landing to complete the 16-day, 6.5-million mile journey on the STS-127 mission to the International Space Station. Trucks are positioned at the shuttles nose and tail to drain away hazardous chemicals that may still be inside systems such as the thrusters. Later, the astronauts are expected to walk around Endeavour. 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.

DF-SC-88-08436. Base: Edwards Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Orbiter Atlantis rolls into the Vehicle Assembly Building for further processing. Atlantis will be flying on mission STS-114, a Utilization Logistics Flight -1 to the International Space Station. Along with a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, Atlantis will also transport the next resident ISS crew, Expedition 7. Mission STS-114 is scheduled to launch March 1, 2003.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shuttle Discovery pauses in between Orbiter Processing Facility-3 and the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) during a move called "rollover." Once inside the VAB, the shuttle will be joined to its solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank. Later this month, Discovery is scheduled to "rollout" to Launch Pad 39A for its launch to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission.Targeted to liftoff Nov. 1, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Endeavour touches down on runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center as after traveling nearly 5.3 million miles on mission STS-118. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians walk alongside as space shuttle Endeavour is being towed from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility-2.Shuttle Endeavour will remain in OPF-2 so that the orbiter maneuvering system (OMS) pods and forward reaction control system can be installed. Technicians also will offload water and Freon gas from lines located in Endeavours midbody. The work is part of Endeavours transition and retirement processing. The spacecraft is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122, 883, 151 miles over the course of its 19-year career. Endeavours STS-134 and final mission was completed after landing on June 1, 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The landing convoy that will make space shuttle Discovery secure for towing to its processing hangar begins to pull up around the spacecraft following wheelstop on the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery's final return from space completed the 13-day, 5.3-million-mile STS-133 mission. 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. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - With its drag chute trailing behind, orbiter Discovery and its crew land on KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility runway 15. Main gear touchdown was at 2:22:58 p.m. EDT; wheel stop, at 2:24:06 p.m. EDT. The 11-day, 21-hour, 12-minute STS-105 mission accomplished the goals set for the 11th flight to the International Space Station: swapout of the resident Station crew; delivery of equipment, supplies and scientific experiments; and installation of the Early Ammonia Servicer and heater cables for the S0 truss on the Station. Discovery traveled 4.3 million miles on its 30th flight into space, the 106th mission of the Space Shuttle program. Out of five missions in 2001, the landing was the first to occur in daylight at KSC

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour is attached to a diesel-powered tractor to be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility, or OPF. After landing in California to end the STS-126 mission, Endeavour returned to Kennedy on a piggyback flight atop a shuttle carrier aircraft. In the OPF, Endeavour will begin preparations for its next mission, STS-127, targeted for May 2009.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The orbiter Atlantis, on top of its transporter, enters the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building after the short trip from the Orbiter Processing Facility. First motion out of OPF was at 6:19 a.m. EST. Once in the VAB, Atlantis will be lifted into high bay 1 and mated with the external tank and solid rocket boosters already in place on the mobile launcher platform. The rollover signals the start of the journey to the launch pad for liftoff on mission STS-117 targeted for March 15. The mission is the 21st to the International Space Station and will deliver the S3/S4 starboard truss segments.

Space shuttle Atlantis unfurls its drag chute upon landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis enters Orbiter Processing Facility-1, where it will be processed for the unlikely event it is needed as a rescue spacecraft for the final shuttle flight, Endeavour's STS-143 mission. Atlantis touched down on the Shuttle Landing Facility's 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.

STS031-S-135 (29 April 1990) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery makes a smooth landing on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base to complete a highly successful five-day mission. It was an Earth orbital flight during which the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was sent toward its 15-year mission. Landing was completed at 6 51 a.m. (PDT), April 29, 1990. Inside the spacecraft for STS-31 were Astronauts Loren J. Shriver, Charles F. Bolden, Bruce McCandless II, Kathryn D. Sullivan and Steven A. Hawley.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After rolling out of the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Atlantis begins the short transfer to the Vehicle Assembly Building. In the VAB, Atlantis 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 39A to prepare for launch on the STS-125 mission targeted for Oct. 8.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The drogue chute slows space shuttle Endeavour 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 Endeavour, mounted atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft or SCA, takes off from 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, officials gather to look for damaged tiles on the underside of Endeavour, just returned from mission STS-118. On the mission, the crew 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Workers watch the arrival of space shuttle Endeavour at the Shuttle Landing Facility after the shuttle was towed from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour was towed to the Mate-Demate Device, or MDD, where the shuttle will be lifted and connected 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Under tow by a diesel-powered tractor, the orbiter Discovery rolls past the Vehicle Assembly Building as it travels along the two-mile tow-way to the Orbiter Processing Facility from NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility. 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.

Crowds come out on October 12, 2012, to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour at a parking lot in Westchester, as it is transported over three days, 12 miles from Los Angeles Airport to its new home at the California Science Center. Los Angeles, California

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Atlantis moves out of 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.

Orbiter Atlantis arrival at SLF.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis kicks up dust as the main landing gear touches down on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after a nearly 5.3 million mile round trip to the International Space Station. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery, as it is seldom seen in public -- its nose encased in protective plastic, its cockpit windows covered, and strongbacks attached to its payload bay doors -- rolls out of Orbiter Processing Facility-2, or OPF-2, on its way to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB.Discovery will be stored inside the VAB for approximately one month while shuttle Atlantis undergoes processing in OPF-2 following its final mission, STS-135. Discovery flew its 39th and final mission, STS-133, in February and March 2011, and currently is being prepared for public display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

After landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), with its unique cargo Discovery on top, is towed to the mate/demate device at the SLF. Discovery will be lifted off the SCA and transported to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. There it will undergo preparations for its next launch, STS-102, scheduled for February 2001

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After rolling out of Orbiter Processing Facility 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery turns toward the Vehicle Assembly Building. First motion was at 2:30 p.m. EST. In the VAB, Discovery 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 39A for a targeted launch to the International Space Station on Feb. 12.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft gently lands its piggyback cargo orbiter Atlantis at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Atlantis returns home after a 10-month stay in the Palmdale, CA, orbiter processing facility undergoing extensive inspections and modifications. They included several upgrades enabling it to support International Space Station missions, such as adding an external airlock for ISS docking missions and installing thinner, lighter thermal protection blankets for weight reduction which will allow it to haul heavier cargo. The flight from Palmdale included a fueling stop in Ft. Hood, TX, and overnight stay at Ft. Campbell, KY. Atlantis will undergo preparations in the Orbiter Processing Facility at KSC for its planned flight in June 1999

The Space Shuttle Enterprise, the nation's prototype space shuttle orbiter, before departing NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, at 11:00 a.m., 16 May 1983, on the first leg of its trek to the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, Paris, France. Seen here atop the huge 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), the first stop for the Enterprise was Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Piloting the 747 on the Europe trip were Joe Algranti, Johnson Space Center Chief Pilot, Astronaut Dick Scobee, and NASA Dryden Chief Pilot Tom McMurtry. Flight engineers for that portion of the flight were Dryden's Ray Young and Johnson Space Center's Skip Guidry.The Enterprise, named after the spacecraft of Star Trek fame, was originally carried and launched by the 747 during the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) at Dryden Flight Research Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Preparations to roll space shuttle Discovery out of the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, to the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, are under way at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery was in storage in the VABs 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.

Space Shuttle Discovery approaches landing on the runway at the Kennedy Space Center

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The high-fidelity space shuttle model that was on display at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida moves along the on-ramp from NASA Causeway to Kennedy Parkway to gain entrance to the northbound roadways on the center. 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 model is being moved from the visitor complex to NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 turn basin.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

Space Shuttle Atlantis landed at 12:33 p.m. February 20, 2001, on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base, California, where NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center is located. The mission, which began February 7, logged 5.3 million miles as the shuttle orbited earth while delivering the Destiny science laboratory to the International Space Station. Inclement weather conditions in Florida prompted the decision to land Atlantis at Edwards. The last time a space shuttle landed at Edwards was Oct. 24, 2000.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The orbiter Atlantis, on top of the orbiter transporter, rolls toward the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) after exiting the Orbiter Processing Facility. In the VAB it will be mated with the twin Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank already stacked on the Mobile Launcher Platform. Atlantis is being readied for mission STS-121, the second Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. This is Atlantis 27th space flight and the mission is the 18th flight to the Space Station. It is a Utilization and Logistics Flight. Launch is scheduled during a planning window between Sept. 9 and Sept. 24.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis is towed from the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The move will allow work to be performed in the OPF that can only be accomplished while the bay is empty. Work scheduled in the processing facility includes annual validation of the bay's cranes, work platforms, lifting mechanisms, and jack stands. Atlantis will remain in the VAB for about 10 days, then return to the OPF as work resumes to prepare it for launch in September 2004 on the first return-to-flight mission, STS-114.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Endeavour approaches touchdown on runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after traveling nearly 5.3 million miles on mission STS-118. 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.

STS124-S-062 (14 June 2008) --- Space Shuttle Discovery touches down on runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, concluding the 14-day STS-124 mission to the International Space Station. Onboard are NASA astronauts Mark Kelly, commander; Ken Ham, pilot; Mike Fossum, Ron Garan, Karen Nyberg, Garrett Reisman and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, all mission specialists. The main landing gear touched down at 11:15:19 a.m. (EDT) on June 14, 2008. The nose landing gear touched down at 11:15:30 a.m. and wheel stop was at 11:16:19 a.m. During the mission, Discovery's crew installed the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's large Kibo laboratory and its remote manipulator system leaving a larger space station and one with increased science capabilities.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A vapor trail flows from Discovery's wing tip as it makes a speedy approach to Runway 15 at NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility, completing mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. At touchdown -- nominally about 2,500 ft. beyond the runway threshold -- the orbiter is traveling at a speed ranging from 213 to 226 mph. 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 t

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With wheels down, space shuttle Atlantis approaches a landing on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after a nearly 5.3 million mile round trip to the International Space Station. 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. Photo courtesy of Chuck Luzier

The Space Shuttle Atlantis approaches runway 22 at Edwards, California.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery arrives outside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 (OPF-1) after stopping for a unique "nose-to-nose" photo opportunity outside OPF-3 with shuttle Endeavour. Discovery, which temporarily was being stored in the VAB, is switching places with Endeavour, which has been undergoing decommissioning in OPF-1.In OPF-1, Discovery will undergo further preparations for public display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia. Endeavour will be stored in the VAB until October when it will be moved into OPF-2 for further work to get it ready for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

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 been rolled back from the mate-demate device.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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery lands on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9 08 a.m. EDT, completing the 15-day STS-131 mission to the International Space Station. 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 Station's laboratories. The crew also switched out a gyroscope on the stations truss, installed a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieved a Japanese experiment from the stations exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd sh

STS040-S-174 (14 June 1991) --- The Space Shuttle Columbia is only moments away from touchdown on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The landing completes a successful nine-day Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1) mission, the first ever devoted exclusively to life sciences research. Onboard the spacecraft were astronauts Bryan D. O'Connor, Sidney M. Gutierrez, Rhea Seddon, James P. Bagian and Tamara E. Jernigan; and payload specialists F. Drew Gaffney and Millie Hughes-Fulford. Landing occurred at 8:39:11 a.m. (PDT), June 14, 1991.

STS030-S-126 (8 May 1989) --- The space shuttle Atlantis, as seen in a low angle view on its glide in from Earth orbit, heads toward a concrete runway at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Onboard were astronauts David M. Walker, STS-30 commander; Ronald J. Grabe, pilot; and astronauts Norman E. Thagard, Mary L. Cleave and Mark C. Lee all mission specialists.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis rolls to a stop 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. 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. - Space shuttle Atlantis rolls to a stop 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. 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.

STS095-S-012 (7 Nov. 1998) --- The space shuttle Discovery is about to lower its nose wheel following main gear touchdown on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. (EST), landing on orbit 135. Discovery returned to Earth with its crew of five astronauts and two payload specialists to successfully complete the nine-day mission. Onboard were astronauts Curtis L. Brown Jr., Steven W. Lindsey, Scott F. Parazynski, Stephen K. Robinson, Pedro Duque and payload specialists Chiaki Naito-Mukai and United States Senator John H. Glenn Jr. Duque represents the European Space Agency (ESA) and Mukai is with Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA).

The space shuttle Endeavour approaches sister shuttle Atlantis in the background for a brief photo opportunity at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour moved from Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility to switch places with Atlantis which had been in Vehicle Assembly Building VAB. In the VAB, Endeavour will undergo final preparations for its cross-country ferry flight targeted for mid-September. The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Vapor trails flow from Discovery's wing tips as it makes a speedy approach to Runway 15 at NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility, completing mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. At touchdown -- nominally about 2,500 ft. beyond the runway threshold -- the orbiter is traveling at a speed ranging from 213 to 226 mph. 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 te

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Discovery kicks up dust as it touches down on Runway 15 at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, concluding mission STS-116. 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 to 226 mph. Discovery traveled 5,330,000 miles, landing on orbit 204. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 20 hours, 44 minutes and 16 seconds. This is the 64th landing at KSC. Aboard Discovery are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot William Oefelein, and Mission Specialists Robert Curbeam, Joan Higginbotham, Nicholas Patrick and Christer Fuglesang, who represents the European Space Agency, as well as Thomas Reiter, who is returning from a 6-month stay on the International Space Station. During the mission, three spacewalks attached the P5 integrated truss structure to th

The Space Shuttle Atlantis touches down at Edwards AFB on June 22, 2007, to conclude International Space Station construction and supply mission STS-117.

The space shuttle Endeavour is seen as it traverses through Inglewood, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 12, 2012. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Beginning Oct. 30, the shuttle will be on display in the CSC's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, embarking on its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and educate and inspire future generations of explorers.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis touches down on runway 33 after completing the 10-day, 19-hour, 4.5-million mile mission STS-110 to the International Space Station. The orbiter carries the returning crew Commander Michael Bloomfield, Pilot Stephen Frick and Mission Specialists Jerry Ross, Steven Smith, Ellen Ochoa, Lee Morin and Rex Walheim. Main gear touchdown was 12:26:57 p.m. EDT, nose gear touchdown was 12:27:09 p.m. and wheel stop was 12:28:07 p.m. The crew delivered and installed the S0 truss, which will support cooling and power systems essential for the addition of future international laboratories, on the 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, begins to make the turn on runway 15 for a takeoff at 7 a.m. EDT to deliver Discovery to its new home. 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.

Space shuttle Enterprise, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), is seen as it flies over John F. Kennedy Airport, Friday, April 27, 2012, in New York. Enterprise was the first shuttle orbiter built for NASA performing test flights in the atmosphere and was incapable of spaceflight. Originally housed at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Enterprise will be demated from the SCA and placed on a barge that will eventually be moved by tugboat up the Hudson River to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in June.

STS086-S-014 (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. - At NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis is towed into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) high bay 4 after being towed around from the VAB transfer aisle.Shuttle Atlantis will remain in temporary storage in high bay 4, while Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement work continues on Discovery and Endeavour in the orbiter processing facilities. Atlantis is being prepared for display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The orbiter Columbia is about to touch down on Runway 33 of KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility to complete the nearly 16-day STS-90 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 12:08:59 p.m. EDT on May 3, 1998, landing on orbit 256 of the mission. The wheels stopped at 12:09:58 EDT, completing a total mission time of 15 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes and 58 seconds. The 90th Shuttle mission was Columbia's 13th landing at the space center and the 43rd KSC landing in the history of the Space Shuttle program. During the mission, the crew conducted research to contribute to a better understanding of the human nervous system. The crew of the STS-90 Neurolab mission include Commander Richard Searfoss; Pilot Scott Altman; Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D

STS120-S-083 (7 Nov. 2007) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery lands at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, completing the 15-day STS-120 mission to the International Space Station. Discovery landed at 1:01 p.m. (EST) Nov. 7 after a mission that included on-orbit construction of the station with the installation of the Harmony Node 2 module and the relocation of the P6 truss.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After rolling out of Orbiter Processing Facility 2, space shuttle Endeavour turns toward 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. - NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, is parked on the apron of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida with space shuttle Endeavour secured on its back.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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A crew transport vehicle (CTV), a modified people mover” used at airports, approaches the orbiter Discovery after the vehicle was "safed" for crew departure. The crew exits the orbiter into a crew hatch access vehicle and, after a brief medical examination, transfers into the CTV. Discovery's smooth and perfect landing after completing mission STS-121 was on time at 9:14 a.m. EDT on Runway 15 of NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility after traveling 5.3 million miles on 202 orbits. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds. The landing is the 62nd at Kennedy Space Center and the 32nd for Discovery.

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. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery is towed from Orbiter Processing Facility-2, or OPF-2, to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB. Railings, called strongbacks, are installed along Discovery's payload bay doors to assist with opening and closing of the doors when the shuttle's hydraulic system is not operational and support the doors while they are open.Discovery will be stored inside the VAB for approximately one month while shuttle Atlantis undergoes processing in OPF-2 following its final mission, STS-135. Discovery flew its 39th and final mission, STS-133, in February and March 2011, and currently is being prepared for public display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Streams of smoke trail from the main landing gear tires as space shuttle Discovery touches down on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after 13-days in space, completing the 5.3-million-mile STS-133 mission. 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.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour receives a high-flying salute from its sister shuttle Columbia atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft shortly after Endeavor's landing October 12 1994 at Edwards California.

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