Space Shuttle Landings

Dramatic moments of space shuttles landing and being towed at NASA's facilities, capturing the engineering marvels against diverse backdrops.

Catching the glow of the late afternoon sun, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) rolls down the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility as it returns the orbiter Discovery to KSC. The ferry flight started in California after the orbiters landing more than a week ago at Edwards Air Force Base at the end of mission STS-92. Discovery wears a tail cone protecting its aft nozzles for the ferry flight. Discovery will be demated from the SCA via the mate/demate device at the SLF and transported to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. There it will undergo preparations for its next launch, STS-102, scheduled for February 2001

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Just after sundown, Space Shuttle Endeavour approaches touchdown on KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 33 to complete the 11-day, 5-hour, 38-minute-long STS-99 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 6:22:23 p.m. EST Feb. 22 , landing on orbit 181 of the mission. Nose gear touchdown was at 6:22:35 p.m.. EST, and wheel stop at 6:23:25 p.m. EST. At the controls are Commander Kevin Kregel and Pilot Dominic Gorie. Also onboard the orbiter are Mission Specialists Janet Kavandi, Janice Voss, Mamoru Mohri of Japan and Gerhard Thiele of Germany. Mohri is with the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) and Thiele is with the European Space Agency. The crew are returning from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, after mapping more than 47 million square miles of the Earth. This was the 97th flight in the Space Shuttle program and the 14th for Endeavour, also marking the 50th landing at KSC, the 21st consecutive landing at KSC, and the 28th in the last 29 Shuttle

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery appears to hover above the ground as it prepares to land 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 experimen

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the early morning hours after landing, space shuttle Endeavour's "towback" vehicle slowly pulls it from the Shuttle Landing Facility to Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A purge unit that pumps conditioned air into a shuttle after landing is connected to Endeavour's aft end. Once inside the processing facility, Endeavour will be prepared for future public display.Endeavour's final return from space completed the 16-day, 6.5-million-mile STS-134 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 2:34:51 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 2:35:04 a.m., and wheelstop at 2:35:36 a.m. Endeavour and its crew delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) and the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) to the International Space Station. AMS will help researchers understand the origin of the universe and search for evidence of dark matter, strange matter and antimatter from the station. ELC-3 carried spare parts that will sust

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, with its piggyback cargo the orbiter Atlantis, heads for the mate/demate device after landing at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. 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

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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Endeavour begins its move from Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Vehicle Assembly Building. There it 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.

STS038-S-041 (20 Nov 1990) --- STS-38 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, lands on runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). The main landing gear (MLG) has just touched down on the runway surface as the nose landing gear (NLG) glides above it. The Department of Defense (DOD)-devoted mission came to an end (with complete wheel stop) at 4 43 37 pm (Eastern Standard Time (EST)).

STS121-S-053 (17 July 2006) --- Space Shuttle Discovery's main landing gear is about to touch down on runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 9:14 a.m. (EDT) on July 17, 2006. Onboard were astronauts Steven W. Lindsey, commander; Mark E. Kelly, pilot; Piers J. Sellers, Michael E. Fossum, Lisa M. Nowak and Stephanie D. Wilson, all mission specialists. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The orbiter Endeavour is towed toward the open doors of bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility, known as the OPF. Endeavour returned to Earth Aug. 21 from mission STS-118, landing at Kennedy at 12:32 p.m. EDT. In the OPF bay 2, Endeavour will incur thermal protection system inspections and numerous other post-flight inspections before processing starts for its next voyage into space. Endeavour will next fly on mission STS-123 targeted for Feb. 14, 2008.

Catching the glow of the late afternoon sun, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) rolls down the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility as it returns the orbiter Discovery to KSC. The ferry flight started in California after the orbiters landing more than a week ago at Edwards Air Force Base at the end of mission STS-92. Discovery wears a tail cone protecting its aft nozzles for the ferry flight. Discovery will be demated from the SCA via the mate/demate device at the SLF and transported to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. There it will undergo preparations for its next launch, STS-102, scheduled for February 2001

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After traveling nearly 5.3 million miles on mission STS-118, Endeavour touches down on runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. 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. - The space shuttle Endeavour backs through the doors of Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building to 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A fire and rescue truck is in place beside Runway 33 if needed to support the landing of space shuttle Atlantis at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After 11 days in space, Atlantis completed 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, 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Back dropped by a crystal-clear blue sky, space shuttle Atlantis' belly is visible as it approaches 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.

Space Shuttle Endeavour's main landing gear touches down on the runway

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Atlantis kicks up dust as its main gear touches down on runway 33 at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. The landing completes 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

On a warm afternoon, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), with its unique orbiter passenger attached to its back, rolls down the runway at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility. The SCA is returning Discovery to KSC after the orbiters California landing more than a week ago at Edwards Air Force Base at the end of mission STS-92. Discovery will be demated from the SCA via the mate/demate device at the SLF and transported to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. There it will undergo preparations for its next launch, STS-102, scheduled for February 2001

Space Shuttle Endeavour touches down, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With sunrise just minutes away, the orbiter Columbia swoops down on KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33. The 33rd KSC landing in Shuttle program history is set to occur on the first opportunity Dec. 7 at 6:49 a.m. EST. Prior landing attempts Dec. 5 and 6 were scrubbed due to weather conditions. The extended time aloft allowed the five- member crew of Mission STS-80 to set a new record for long-duration Shuttle flight. At main gear touchdown, mission duration will be about 17 days, 16 hours, surpassing the 16-day, 21-hour set by the STS-78 crew earlier this year. Guiding Columbia onto the runway is STS-80 Commander Kenneth D. Cockrell; the pilot is Kent V. Rominger. The three mission specialists are Tamara E. Jernigan, Thomas D. Jones and Story Musgrave

Space Shuttle Endeavour's tires produced a momentary puff of smoke as Mission STS-100 landed at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, California, May 1, 2001.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Dust rises behind space shuttle Atlantis 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. -- Space shuttle Discovery touches down on Runway 15 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.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis is turned into position outside the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) for its tow 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis moves out of Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning its short move to High Bay 4 of the nearby Vehicle Assembly Building.The work is part of the Space Shuttle Program's transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex in November in preparation for the exhibit's grand opening in July 2013.

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) and its unique cargo Discovery on top rest in the shadows from the setting sun behind them. Discovery will be lifted off the SCA via the mate/demate device and transported to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. There it will undergo preparations for its next launch, STS-102, scheduled for February 2001

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Endeavour lands on runway 15 at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 10:58 a.m. EDT atop a modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The cross-country ferry flight became necessary when three days of unfavorable weather conditions at KSC forced Endeavour to land on runway 22 at Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 19 following mission STS-111. Processing of Endeavour will now begin for the launch of mission STS-113 targeted for October 2002

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With drag chute unfurled, space shuttle Discovery lands on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after 15 days in space, completing the more than 6.2-million-mile STS-131 mission on orbit 238. 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 ex

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour is moments away from touching down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility after completing the 13-day, 18-hour, 48-minute, 5.74-million mile STS-113 mission to the International Space Station. Main gear touchdown was at 2:37:12 p.m. EST, nose gear touchdown was at 2:37:23 p.m., and wheel stop was at 2:38:25 p.m. Poor weather conditions thwarted landing opportunities until a fourth day, the first time in Shuttle program history that a landing has been waved off for three consecutive days. The vehicle carries the STS-113 crew, Commander James Wetherbee, Pilot Paul Lockhart and Mission Specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington, as well as the returning Expedition Five crew, Commander Valeri Korzun, ISS Science Officer Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Sergei Treschev. The installation of the P1 truss on the International Space Station was accomplished during the mission.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Orbiter Endeavour returns to KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility mounted atop NASAs Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. 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 towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 where it will begin processing for mission STS-108

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery is towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility, or OPF. Towing normally begins approximately within four hours after landing and is completed within six hours unless removal of time-sensitive experiments requires 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 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 equipment needed for t

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747, kicks up dust as it lands at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility with the orbiter Atlantis on top. 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. - Atlantis is towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility along the tow-way from the Shuttle Landing Facility. 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.

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. In the background is the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB. 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

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After Endeavours rollout from inside the Orbiter Processing Facility, the transporter (foreground) prepares to tow it to the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary transfer. A protective cover surrounds the nose of Endeavour. The move to the VAB allows work to be performed in the OPF that can only be accomplished while the bay is empty. Work scheduled in the OPF includes annual validation of the bays cranes, work platforms, lifting mechanisms and jack stands. Endeavour will remain in the VAB for approximately 12 days, then return to the OPF.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the shortest day of the year, Discovery touches down at sunset on Runway 15 at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility as the sun sets, concluding mission STS-116. The rescue vehicles in the background are in position in the unlikely event they are needed during post-landing operations. Aboard 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 the station, and completed the rewiring of the orbiting laboratory's power system. A fourth spacewalk retracted 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

A left side view of the Space Transportation System 7 (STS-7) shuttle Challenger touching down on the runway at the end of its mission. Base: Edwards Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Orbiter Endeavour returns to KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility mounted atop NASAs Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. 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 towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 where it will begin processing for mission STS-108

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Discovery nears bay 3 of the Orbiter Processing Facility after being towed from NASA Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery was returned to NASA Kennedy Space Center on a ferry flight atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) from Edwards Air Force Base in California, arriving Aug. 21. Discovery will be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility where the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello still inside will be removed from the payload bay and transferred to the Space Station Processing Facility. The orbiter will then begin processing for the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, scheduled for launch no earlier than March 2006.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Resting on its 76-wheeled orbiter transporter, space shuttle Discovery rolls toward the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Inside the VAB, Discovery will be attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters in high bay 3 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The space shuttle Atlantis nears touchdown 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Orbiter Atlantis is ready to have the overhead crane removed before transfer to the Orbiter Processing Facility. A tail cone covers the aft engines. Atlantis was removed from the back of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft after a ferry flight from California. Atlantis landed Feb. 19 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. Atlantis will be transported to the Orbiter Processing Facility to prepare it for mission STS-104, the 10th construction flight to the International Space Station, scheduled to launch June 8

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Atlantis begins backing 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.

(24 March 1979) --- The space shuttle orbiter 102 Columbia riding piggyback on NASA 905, a 747 carrier aircraft, is only seconds away from landing on Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle landing facility

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After demate from the shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, Atlantis begins its trek from Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to the Orbiter Processing Facility. The orbiter will undergo processing 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Orbiter Endeavour is rolled out of the Orbiter Processing Facility atop a transporter. The orbiter is being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for mating to the External Tank/Solid Rocket Boosters atop the Mobile Launcher Platform. Endeavour is targeted to launch May 30, 2002, on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station. Mission goals include delivering and installing the Mobile Base System to complete the Canadian Mobile Service System and carrying the Expedition 5 crew to the Station for rotation with Expedition 4

Viewed from the side, orbiter Discovery, with its seven-member crew, is about to touch down on the landing strip at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., after an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. The orbiters main landing gear touched down on EAFB runway 22 at 5 p.m. With the aid of its drag chute, Discovery came to a complete stop at 5:01 p.m. At the conclusion of mission STS-92, Discovery and crew had traveled about 5.3 million statute miles. Following vehicle safing and preliminary offloading efforts, workers will begin preparations for Discoverys transcontinental ferry flight back to KSC on the back of NASAs modified Boeing 747

STS047-S-116 (20 Sept 1992) --- The Space Shuttle Endeavour prepares to land on the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle landing facility runway. The successful landing marked the completion of an eight-day Earth-orbital mission for the orbiter, its seven-member crew and the Spacelab-J payload. Landing occurred at 8 53 a.m. (EDT), September 20, 1992. Onboard the spacecraft were astronauts Robert L. Gibson, Curtis L. Brown Jr., Mark C. Lee, Jerome (Jay) Apt, N. Jan Davis and Mae C. Jemison, along with Japanese payload specialist Dr. Mamoru Mohri.

NASA's space shuttle Atlantis and its 747 carrier taxied on the Edwards Air Force Base flightline as the unusual combination left for Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on March 1, 2001.Atlantis and the shuttle Columbia were both airborne on the same day as they migrated from California to Florida. Columbia underwent refurbishing at nearby Palmdale, California.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The high-fidelity space shuttle model which was on display at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida has arrived at Kennedy's Launch Complex 39 turn basin and awaits preparation for the next leg of its journey. Across the street, the Vehicle Assembly Building towers 525 feet into the sky.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. - At NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery has been completely backed out of Orbiter Processing Facility-1 in preparation for its move to the Vehicle Assembly Building VAB. The aft view of Discovery reveals the tail cone that covers the three replica shuttle main engines. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Discovery, which is being prepared for display at Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Discovery will remain in high bay 4 of the VAB until its scheduled transport atop a NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft modified 747 jet to Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17. Discovery will then be transported to the Smithsonian on April 19.

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.

Space Shuttle Columbia Reflected

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the space shuttle Atlantis is transported on a 10-mile journey 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.

(18 April 1984) --- The Space Shuttle Challenger, atop NASA 905, approaches the runway at Kennedy Space Center following a flight from Edwards Air Force Base in southern California. Less than two weeks earlier the Challenger, mated to two solid rocket boosters and an external fuel tank, launched into space from a nearby launch pad for a week-long stay in space.

With Commander Kevin Kregel and Pilot Steven Lindsey at the controls, the orbiter Columbia makes a smooth touchdown on Runway 33 at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility at 7:20:04 a.m. EST Dec. 5, completing the 15-day, 16-hour and 34-minute-long STS-87 mission of 6.5 million miles. Also onboard the orbiter are Mission Specialists Winston Scott; Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D.; and Takao Doi, Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan; along with Payload Specialist Leonid Kadenyuk of the National Space Agency of Ukraine. During the 88th Space Shuttle mission, the crew performed experiments on the United States Microgravity Payload-4 and pollinated plants as part of the Collaborative Ukrainian Experiment. This was the 12th landing for Columbia at KSC and the 41st KSC landing in the history of the Space Shuttle program

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery's "towback" vehicle slowly pulls the spacecraft toward Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 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.

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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis rolls out of Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 on a transporter as the sun rises. The orbiter is headed for the Vehicle Assembly Building. Rollover from its processing bay began at 7:05 a.m. EDT. Atlantis arrived in the VAB's transfer aisle at 8:03 a.m. In the VAB, the shuttle will be lifted and mated with the external tank and solid rocket boosters designated for mission STS-122, already secured atop a mobile launcher platform. On this mission, Atlantis will deliver the Columbus module to the International Space Station. The European Space Agency's largest contribution to the station, Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. The module is approximately 23 feet long and 15 feet wide, allowing it to hold 10 large racks of experiments. The laboratory will expand the research facilities aboard the station, providing crew members and scientists from aroun

STS074-S-022 (20 Nov 1995) --- The drag chute of the Space Shuttle Atlantis is deployed as the space vehicle touches down on Runway 33 of Kennedy Space Centers (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility, completing its STS-74 mission. The main gear touched down at 12:01:27 p.m. (EST), November 20, 1995.

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

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 (Ellington AFB Houston, TX)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The orbiter Atlantis rolls from the Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for its journey to the Shuttle Landing Facility where it will be lifted and mated to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility. Atlantis will then be ferried to California for its Orbiter Maintenance Down Period at Palmdales Orbiter Assembly Facility, where it will remain until August 1998. At Palmdale, modifications and structural inspections will be conducted in preparation for Atlantis future missions to support International Space Station assembly activities. Atlantis next flight into space is scheduled to be Space Shuttle mission STS-92, targeted for launch from KSC in January 1999

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- KSC employees accompany the orbiter Atlantis as it is moved aboard an orbiter transporter to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). In the background are OPF bays 1 and 2. In the VAB it will be lifted to vertical and placed aboard the mobile launcher platform (MLP) for stacking with the solid rocket boosters and external tank. Atlantis is scheduled to launch Sept. 8 on mission STS-106, the fourth construction flight to the International Space Station, with a crew of seven

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, employees accompany space shuttle Endeavour at is rolls from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After a three-day trip from California, the shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, and its piggyback passenger Atlantis taxi down the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility runway after landing. Touchdown was at 8:27 a.m. EDT. The SCA is a modified Boeing 747 jetliner. Visible on Atlantis is the tail cone that covers and protects the main engines during the ferry flight. Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California to end mission STS-117. The return to KSC began July 1 and took three days after stops across the country for fuel. The last stop was at Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. Weather conditions over the last leg postponed the return trip until July 3. Atlantis will be removed from the back of the SCA via the mate/demate device at the SLF. It will then be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility to begin processing for its next launch, mission STS-122 in December.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' drag chute slows the vehicle as its 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, a modified Boeing 747, kicks up dust as it lands at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility with the orbiter Atlantis on top. 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. - 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The orbiter Atlantis is towed back to the Orbiter Processing Facility after spending 10 days in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The hiatus in the VAB allowed work to be performed in the OPF that can only be accomplished while the bay is empty. Work included annual validation of the bay's cranes, work platforms, lifting mechanisms and jack stands. Work resumes to prepare Atlantis for launch in September 2004 on the first return-to-flight mission, STS-114.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers accompany shuttle Endeavour as a "towback" vehicle slowly pulls it into Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A purge unit that pumps conditioned air into a shuttle after landing is connected to Endeavour's aft end. Once inside the processing facility, Endeavour will be prepared for future public display.Endeavour's final return from space completed the 16-day, 6.5-million-mile STS-134 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 2:34:51 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 2:35:04 a.m., and wheelstop at 2:35:36 a.m. Endeavour and its crew delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) and the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) to the International Space Station. AMS will help researchers understand the origin of the universe and search for evidence of dark matter, strange matter and antimatter from the station. ELC-3 carried spare parts that will sustain station operations once the shuttles are retired from s

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

STS117-S-047 (22 June 2007) --- Space Shuttle Atlantis' main landing gear touches down on runway 22 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California concluding a successful assembly mission to the International Space Station. Atlantis landed on orbit 219 after 13 days, 20 hours and 12 minutes in space. The landing was diverted to California due to marginal weather at the Kennedy Space Center. Main gear touchdown was at 12:49:38 p.m. (PDT). Nose gear touchdown was at 12:49:49 p.m. and wheel stop was at 12:50:48 p.m. This was the 51st landing for the Space Shuttle Program at Edwards Air Force Base. The mission to the station was a success, installing and activating the S3/S4 truss and retracting the P6 arrays. Onboard were astronauts Rick Sturckow, commander; Lee Archambault, pilot; Jim Reilly, Steven Swanson, Patrick Forrester and John "Danny" Olivas, all STS-117 mission specialists. Also onboard was astronaut Sunita Williams, who was flight engineer on th

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. The landing was the first of five in 2001 to occur in daylight at KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - With umbilicals still attached, the orbiter Atlantis is being towed from the Shuttle Landing Facility to the Orbiter Processing Facility. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations have begun to move space shuttle Discovery from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Orbiter Processing Facility-1 (OPF-1). Discovery is switching places with shuttle Endeavour which has been undergoing decommissioning activities in OPF-1. Both shuttles will stop briefly outside OPF-3 for a "nose-to-nose" photo opportunity. Discovery then will be rolled into OPF-1 and Endeavour into the VAB.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. - The space shuttle Atlantis arrives at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex following a 10-mile journey that began earlier in the day.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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the space shuttle Atlantis is transported on a 10-mile journey 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 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 Biggs Army Air Field in El Paso, Texas, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, a modified Boeing 747, is ready to take off after an overnight stop at Biggs Army Air Field in El Paso, Texas. The shuttle and SCA left Edwards Air Force Base in California for its return to Florida.Atlantis is being returned to Florida on a ferry flight on the SCA. Atlantis' next assignment is the STS-129 mission, targeted to launch in November 2009.

STS052-S-099 (1 Nov. 1992) --- This three-quarter front view shows the Space Shuttle Columbia just after deployment of the drag chute during landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. Onboard were a crew of five NASA astronauts and a Canadian payload specialist. Landing occurred at 9 05 53 a.m. (EST), November 1, 1992. Crewmembers are astronauts James D. Wetherbee, Michael A. Baker, Tamara E. Jernigan, Charles L. (Lacy) Veach and William M. Shepherd along with payload specialist Steven G. MacLean. The photo was taken with a 35mm camera.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis heads for the open doors of the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 where it will undergo preparations for launch. 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. - Space shuttle Endeavour hovers above the ground as it is lifted into the mate-demate device at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle will be positioned and connected to the top of NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA, with the aid of the device. The shuttle has been fitted with an aerodynamic tailcone for its upcoming ferry flight. 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. -- Endeavour, atop an orbiter transporter, turns toward the Vehicle Assembly Building from 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The orbiter Atlantis, atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, comes to a stop at the mate_demate device at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility after a protracted trip from California. Atlantis landed in California Feb. 19 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. The orbiter will next fly on mission STS-104, the 10th construction flight to the International Space Station, scheduled June 8

Viewed from the side, orbiter Discovery, with its seven-member crew, touches down on the landing strip at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., after an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. The orbiters main landing gear touched down on EAFB runway 22 at 5 p.m. With the aid of its drag chute, Discovery came to a complete stop at 5:01 p.m. At the conclusion of mission STS-92, Discovery and crew had traveled about 5.3 million statute miles. Following vehicle safing and preliminary offloading efforts, workers will begin preparations for Discoverys transcontinental ferry flight back to KSC on the back of NASAs modified Boeing 747

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The orbiter Discovery nears touchdown on Runway 15 at NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility after 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 tested new equipment and procedures to imp

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After a three-day trip from California, the shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, and its piggyback passenger space shuttle Endeavour are ready to land 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour, mounted atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft or SCA, taxis 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery's main landing gear 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Endeavour backs out of Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 atop an orbiter transporter for rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building. In the VAB, Endeavour will be stacked with its solid rocket boosters and external tank atop the Mobile Launcher Platform in high bay 3. Endeavour is scheduled to launch April 19 on mission STS-100, the ninth flight to the International Space Station

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.

The orbiter Endeavour, riding atop the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), landed at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at about 9:44 a.m. today, completing is cross-country ferry flight from Palmdale, CA. Endeavour departed Palmdale at about 9 a.m. EST March 26 and stopped briefly for fuel at Ft. Worth Naval Air Station, TX. The vehicle then proceeded to Warner Robbins Air Force Base, GA, where it stayed overnight last night before departing for KSC this morning. Endeavour will be removed from the SCA today and transported to Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 early tomorrow morning

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The orbiter Atlantis rolls toward the Orbiter Processing Facility after spending 10 days in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The hiatus in the VAB allowed work to be performed in the OPF that can only be accomplished while the bay is empty. Work included annual validation of the bay's cranes, work platforms, lifting mechanisms and jack stands. Work resumes to prepare Atlantis for launch in September 2004 on the first return-to-flight mission, STS-114.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After rollover from the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Atlantis arrives in the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building. The shuttle arrived in the VAB by 11:05 p.m. EDT. Atlantis will next 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. -- After a three-day trip from California, the shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, and its piggyback passenger space shuttle Endeavour fly through cool, blue skies over 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.

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