July 22, 2011 SPECIAL EDITION Vol. 51, No. 14 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe Missions accomplished! he space shuttle. us improvements in com- There was never Space Shuttle Program Final Numbers munication, technology, Tanother spacecraft medicine and space explo- like it . as large as a Individuals Flown: 355 Total Fliers: 852 ration. Not only that, it DC-9 airliner, but strong also has provided me with enough to withstand the Miles Traveled: 542,398,878 the opportunity to meet vacuum of space . big Earth Orbits: 21,156 truly wonderful people enough to carry huge and work on a unique and satellites and built to be Time in Space: 1,332 days, 20 hours, 1 minute, 34 seconds iconic piece of history.” reused dozens of times. Robert Smith, aircraft And it had wings, just like servicer, URS Fed- the imagined spaceships supervisor, Brevard portunity to showcase treasure may never be eral Technical Services: science fiction writers Achievement: “To be part an American work force replicated again.” “Working at KSC the designed for their fan- of the space program has with extreme passion, Rachel Wiedemann, last 10 years has been a tastic tales of adventure. been the most rewarding dedication and innova- aerothermal engineer, dream come true. Work- And there may never be time of my working life. tion. This American The Boeing Co.: “The ing around true American another spacecraft quite To all, ‘thank you.’ ” space shuttle has meant heroes and being a part of like it again. Mark Nappi, vice seven years of the most a team as big as ours here Every employee who president of Launch incredible, inspiring job has forever changed my has worked at Kennedy and Recovery Systems, I could have ever asked life.” Space Center during the United Space Alliance for. I have had the joy Roger McCormick, past 30 years has followed (USA): “The Space of waking up for former aerospace techni- his or her own unique Shuttle Program work and being cian, USA: “Growing career path, but one thing has been a mark excited about up in West Virginia I they all have in common of American what I do. It read and studied all I is the lasting impression ingenuity and has allowed could dealing with every the space shuttle fleet has technical me to play a facet of space explora- made on their lives. superiority. fulfilling role tion, knowing that one As NASA’s Space As equally in a part of day I would move to Shuttle Program came important, American Florida and work at the to a close, a few of them it’s also culture place where rockets are shared their thoughts of been an that has launched. The Space gratitude, sadness and op- brought Shuttle Program allowed pride in the shuttles’ me to fulfill my dream for legacy: nearly 23 years, working Bob Youngquist, phys- hands on with the orbiters icist, NASA: “The space every day.” shuttle provided a steady Stanley Starr, Ap- flow of challenging prob- plied Physics branch lems that kept many of us chief, NASA: “The Space motivated and focused on Shuttle Program has pro- something important and vided me with a tangible. I will cherish career of fascinating tech- this time and am grateful I nical challenges, allowed had this opportunity.” James Sconiers, area See SHUTTLE, Page 6 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS July 22, 2011 “This mission “The shuttle “The space “What this (STS-135) program brought shuttle has team has marks the final our nation many provided accomplished flight of the firsts and many unbelievable during the past Space Shuttle proud moments. benefit and 30 years will be Program and I was proud to return on the talked about and also ushers in be part of the investment of admired for an exciting new shuttle program the American generations to era, to push the and will carry taxpayer. This is come. We have frontiers of space those experiences not the end, but accomplished exploration and human spaceflight.” with me for the rest of my life.” the start of the next chapter.” what no one else has been able to do.” President Barack Obama Charlie Bolden Lori Garver Bob Cabana NASA Administrator NASA Deputy Administrator Kennedy Space Center Director Congress honors NASA on historic milestones On July 13, 2011, the viduals will have flown 852 and astronomy; configuration of the entire on January 28, 1986, and Senate unanimously passed times during the history of Whereas the Space Space Transportation System the space shuttle Columbia Resolution 233, honoring the Space Shuttle Program, Shuttle Program has execut- contains approximately accident, which occurred on America’s space agency and beginning with the launch of ed the launch and service of 2,500,000 moving parts and, February 1, 2003; its workers. It reads: the first Space Transporta- the Hubble Space Telescope, at lift-off, weighs approxi- (4) notes the diligence in tion System flight on April enabling groundbreaking mately 4,500,000 pounds; applying the lessons learned onoring the men and 12, 1981; and breathtaking views of and through the Challenger and women of the Na- Whereas a spirit of the universe outside of our Whereas the space Columbia tragedies to honor Htional Aeronautics international partnership has solar system; shuttles can travel around the the 14 crewmembers we lost and Space Administration been fostered among the Whereas the space Earth at a speed of approxi- and enhance the safety of the Space Shuttle Program on 16 countries represented on shuttles have docked to 2 mately 17,500 miles per crewmembers that followed; reaching the historic mile- the space shuttle missions different space stations, with hour: Now, therefore, be it (5) recognizes that the stone of the 135th and final flown during the history of 9 missions to Mir, the space Resolved, That the Senate-- Space Shuttle Program has flight of the Space Transpor- the Space Shuttle Program, station of the Government (1) congratulates the inspired generations of chil- tation System. including Belgium, Canada, of Russia, and 37 missions National Aeronautics and dren to become engineers, Whereas the launch of France, Germany, Israel, to the International Space Space Administration on scientists, and explorers, the space shuttle Atlantis on Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Station; reaching the historic mile- which has led to maintaining July 8, 2011, is the 135th and Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Whereas the Space stone of the 135th and final the precedent of leadership final flight of the National Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Shuttle Program has been flight of the Space Transpor- Aeronautics and Space Ad- Switzerland, Ukraine, and essential to the on-orbit as- tation System; in human space explora- ministration Space Transpor- the United States; sembly of the International (2) honors the men and tion set by the United States tation System (STS-135) and Whereas the space Space Station and vital to women of the Space Shuttle during the Mercury, Gemini, the 33rd flight of the space shuttles together have flown ensuring the continued vi- Program, who worked tire- and Apollo missions; and shuttle Atlantis; 537,114,016 miles, with ability and support of the lessly to design, build, and (6) acknowledges that Whereas the National STS-135 adding an addi- International Space Station; operate the Space Trans- the Space Shuttle Program Aeronautics and Space tional 4,000,000 miles; Whereas the space portation System, in order has, through its technologi- Administration built 5 Whereas, during the shuttles have landed at the to promote science, explo- cal advancements and scien- space-capable orbiters, the history of the Space Shuttle Kennedy Space Center 77 ration, and international tific research, driven innova- Columbia, the Challenger, Program, more than 2,000 times, at Edwards Air Force cooperation; tion in the fields of science, the Discovery, the Atlantis, on-orbit experiments have Base 54 times, and at the (3) remembers the 14 technology, engineering, and and the Endeavour; been conducted in the fields White Sands Test Facility crewmembers lost during mathematics to benefit the Whereas, with the of Earth science, biology, once; the space shuttle Challenger people of the United States launch of STS-135, 355 indi- fluids, materials sciences, Whereas the launch accident, which occurred and all of humankind. July 22, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 research vessel HMS Chal- It also launched the first Challenger lenger that sailed the Atlan- African-American astronaut tic and Pacific oceans during into space, Guion Bluford the 1870s. Jr., on STS-8 (August/Sep- OV-099 Like its historic prede- tember 1983). Total Crew: 60 cessors, Challenger and As the first shuttle to Miles Traveled: 23,661,290 its crews made significant launch and land at night Earth Orbits: 995 scientific contributions in on the STS-8 mission, Time in Space: the spirit of exploration. Challenger also made the 62 days, 7 hours, Challenger launched on first landing at Kennedy, its maiden voyage, STS-6, concluding the STS-41B 56 minutes, 22 seconds on April 4, 1983. That mis- mission (February 1984). irst called STA-099, sion saw the first spacewalk Spacelabs 2 and 3 flew Challenger was of the shuttle program, as aboard the ship on mis- built to serve as a well as the deployment sions STS-51F (July/August F of the first satellite in the 1985) and STS-51B (April/ test vehicle for NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. Tracking and Data Relay May 1985), as did the first NASA file/1982 But despite its earthbound System constellation. German-dedicated Spacelab Space shuttle Challenger is raised vertically Nov. 23, 1982, on a special lifting beginnings, STA-099 was The shuttle launched the on STS-61A (October/ sling in preparation for mating with its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters in High Bay 3.