The final orbit: NASA's shuttle era concludes after 30 years

Space · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Watch the final moments of the Space Shuttle program as Atlantis completes its historic mission. This video captures the transition from a three-decade era of space exploration to a new chapter in NASA's journey.

The Space Shuttle program officially ended with the landing of the orbiter Atlantis during mission STS-135. The spacecraft made a pre-dawn landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on its 200th orbit of Earth.

The conclusion of this era marks the end of more than 30 years of shuttle operations. The video also touches on broader NASA milestones, including the legacy of Discovery, the Apollo 15 mission, and various student and honor programs.

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