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Well SuitedU.S. astronaut Sandra Magnus participates in a fit check of her Russian Sokol spacesuit in Moscow on March 29. Magnus was a mission specialist for STS-135, the final flight of the space shuttle Atlantis. The shuttle's successful landing today at 5:57 a.m. ET wrapped up the very last mission of the U.S. space shuttle program.During the 13-day mission, Magnus and her three crewmates delivered supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station, ran an experiment for robotically refueling spacecraft, and retrieved a failed ammonia pump module. Each of the shuttle astronauts had to be fitted for a Russian spacesuit in case they needed to evacuate the station via a Soyuz capsule."Every vehicle has its life," Magnus said in a Reuters interview shortly after landing. "We've known the shuttle is going to retire for a very long time."Still, she added, "it's hard to say goodbye. It's like saying goodbye to an old friend."(Also see "The Most Unforgettable Space Shuttle Pictures.")
Photograph courtesy Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle/NASA

Space Shuttle Pictures: Final Flight of Atlantis

From launch to landing, see some of the key moments from the final mission of Atlantis, the last U.S. space shuttle to fly into orbit.

July 21, 2011

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