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Space Shuttle Launch Schedules
Space Shuttle Information
NASA Space Shuttles
- Space Shuttle Missions
- Space Shuttle Atlantis
- Space Shuttle Discovery
- Space Shuttle Columbia
- Space Shuttle Challenger Crash
- STS 121
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The space shuttle Atlantis has flown in nearly 30 missions so far, flying millions of miles and spending over two-thirds of a year in space. It has flown in the second most missions of the space shuttles still in use, being beat out by the Discovery. It has flown over 3000 rotations around the Earth, and has docked with MIR and the International Space Station 7 times a piece. It is scheduled to be retired in 2008 to avoid having to overhaul it to keep it operational. It will be used as a parts space ship for the two remaining space shuttles, the Discovery and the Endeavour.
History of the Atlantis
The Atlantis flew its first mission on October 3, 1985. Only about two months later, it flew its second mission and deployed three satellites into orbit. It flew regular flights to MIR to deposit and pick up astronauts for a year and a half until September of 1997. It went unused for several years until it was reactivated in 2000 to shuttle people to and from the International Space Station and to supply and make repairs. It is mentioned in a variety of different popular culture videos, games, shows, and novels. Some of the notable ones are Armageddon, where the Atlantis is destroyed by a meteor shower while in space, Deep Impact where the shuttle was used to give a ride to the Messiah craft. Although it is one of the lesser known space shuttles, it still has an illustrious past, and has probably some of the most references in pop culture.
Atlantis has earned its spot in the history of the space program as the space station shuttle. With the last twelve trips being to transfer supplies and astronauts, repair and construct the space station, and carrying assemblies to either MIR or the International Space Station, it has completed the most missions to space stations.
History of the Atlantis
The Atlantis flew its first mission on October 3, 1985. Only about two months later, it flew its second mission and deployed three satellites into orbit. It flew regular flights to MIR to deposit and pick up astronauts for a year and a half until September of 1997. It went unused for several years until it was reactivated in 2000 to shuttle people to and from the International Space Station and to supply and make repairs. It is mentioned in a variety of different popular culture videos, games, shows, and novels. Some of the notable ones are Armageddon, where the Atlantis is destroyed by a meteor shower while in space, Deep Impact where the shuttle was used to give a ride to the Messiah craft. Although it is one of the lesser known space shuttles, it still has an illustrious past, and has probably some of the most references in pop culture.
Atlantis has earned its spot in the history of the space program as the space station shuttle. With the last twelve trips being to transfer supplies and astronauts, repair and construct the space station, and carrying assemblies to either MIR or the International Space Station, it has completed the most missions to space stations.