The First 'Last Flight' - Space Shuttle Atlantis

The First 'Last Flight'

NASA today gave the green light for what's likely to be the space shuttle Atlantis' last launch, opening the final chapter in the orbiter fleet's 29-year history. Atlantis' solid-fuel rockets are due to fire up for a final time at 2:20 p.m. ET on May 14. But mission managers say they're not letting that finality sink in fully just yet.

"There's this ability to stay focused and compartmentalize," Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations, told reporters today at the end of a flight readiness review for Atlantis' 12-day mission to the International Space Station.

"I have not spent a lot of time thinking about 'last this' or 'last that,'" said John Shannon, NASA's space shuttle program manager.

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Matt Stroshane / Getty Images file
The space shuttle Atlantis sits on its Florida launch pad after its April 22 rollout.

[edit on 5/6/2010 by UberL33t]

Sorry to see the old lady go

but she definetly has done her work! may her last flight go well and have
blue skies,! one Era is ending and new starting!

Cheers

I will be watching from my balcony as always and I will film it. So sad to see her go

CNN Live Feed of the launch




[edit on 5/14/2010 by UberL33t]