Space shuttle Atlantis launched into orbit this afternoon. Atlantis has launched 31 times. She has spent 282 days in space. She has been in service for nearly 25 years. This may be her last flight.
On this 12-day mission, Atlantis and her six astronauts will dock with the international space station. They will install a Russian research module during space walks. To learn more about this mission, go to http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
Our two other space shuttles are Endeavour and Discovery. They each have one more flight planned before the space shuttles are retired. The goal of these last three shuttle missions is to complete building the international space station.
The next shuttle launch is scheduled for September. The last one is scheduled for November. To learn more about the remaining missions, go to http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/428128main_2010.04.27b%20Remaining%20Shuttle%20Missions.pdf
Would you like to know more about the space shuttle program? Check out these great books from your library:
Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System The First 100 Missions by Dennis Jenkins
To Space and Back by Sally Ride
America In Space: NASA's First Fifty Years by Steven Dick
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