Space shuttle lands ending Nasa history

Commander Chris Ferguson glided the Atlantis space shuttle through a clear moonlit sky on Thursday after a 13-day logistics trip to the International Space Station in Earth’s orbit.

The Atlantis touched down onto the runway at 5:57 am local time (0957 GMT), ending a 5.2 million-mile journey and closing a key chapter in human space flight history.

The return from the 135th shuttle mission marked an end to Nasa’s 30-year programme of spaceflight, which was marred by two fatal accidents that killed 14 astronauts and destroyed two of Nasa‘s five spaceships.

The last accident investigation board recommended the shuttles be retired after construction was finished on the International Space Station, a $100bn joint project of 16 nations. That milestone was reached this year.

The Space Shuttle's last flight

As Atlantis completes its 135th and final mission, this definitive documentary charts the legacy and tragedies of the most ambitious space programme ever undertaken - the Space Shuttle. 

Watch: The Space Shuttle's last flight

Retiring the fleet means the US now has no means to get their astronauts into space. While the private sector could fill the gap left by the US government, in the interim Nasa will rely on the Russians to fly its people into space.

Details of a follow-on program are still pending, but the overall objective is to build new spaceships that can travel beyond the station’s 250 mile orbit and send astronauts to the moon, asteroids and other destinations in deep space.

Mission complete

The Atlantis landed after completing a logistics mission which included transporting new equipment to the space station.

Upon touchdown Commander Ferguson radioed “Mission complete, Houston.”

Mission Control answered: “We’ll take this opportunity to congratulate you Atlantis, as well as the thousands of passionate individuals across this great space-faring nation who truly empowered this incredible spacecraft, which for three decades has inspired millions around the globe.”

The 100-tonne spaceship will now go on display as a museum piece at the Kennedy Space Centre.