The final seconds of a 30-year era in orbital flight

Space · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: On July 8, 2011, nearly a million people watched as the space shuttle Atlantis prepared to take its final journey. Despite a daunting weather forecast and a last-minute technical glitch, the mission proceeded to close one of the most significant chapters in human engineering.

The STS-135 mission represented the culmination of a 30-year history of space shuttle flights. This era was defined by 'first-of-a-kind' engineering marvels that successfully transported humans and cargo into orbit and returned them safely to Earth. The final flight took place on Florida’s Space Coast, where nearly one million spectators gathered along beaches and rivers to witness the historic liftoff of Atlantis.

The launch was fraught with tension from the start. Weather conditions were so challenging that the forecast indicated a 70 percent "no-go" probability for the day's launch window. Even after clearing the weather, a technical issue occurred at T-31 seconds regarding whether the gaseous oxygen vent arm had fully retracted. The team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center resolved the glitch quickly, allowing the three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters to ignite just before the window closed.

While the mission was deeply sentimental, it served a pragmatic purpose: station resupply. The Raffaello multipurpose logistics module accompanied four individuals on Atlantis, including Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus as Mission Specialists, plus Pilot Doug Hurley and Commander Chris Ferguson. This cargo included essential supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station (ISS). The mission was designed to ensure the ISS was fully stocked and ready for future operations as the shuttle program concluded.

The transition marked a deliberate hand-off in space exploration. According to Mike Moses, the Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager, the goal was to finish 'really, really strong' by completing the construction and stocking of the International Space Station. After reaching orbit on July 8, 2011, at 11:29 a.m. EDT, the crew began the process of rendezvous and docking with the station two days later.

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