Atlantis Space Shuttle Returned To Earth 30-year Era Ended

The picture shows the "Atlantis" Space Shuttle to leave the case of the International Space Station

NASA provided the photos show, "Atlantis" from the International Space Station, space shuttle ready

BEIJING, July 21 Xinhua comprehensive report, the United States, "Atlantis" Space Shuttle 21 in the morning Eastern Time 5:57 (Beijing time at 17:57 on the 21st) at Florida's Kennedy Space Center security landing, ending its "curtain call of the tour," which implies a 30-year U.S. space shuttle era came to an end.

Local time on July 8, "Atlantis" from Florida's Kennedy Space Center launch, U.S. space shuttle project implementation 135th and final flight.

"Atlantis" The mission lasted 12 days. Participate in the flight of four astronauts, they need to complete two trials of this task. Is to determine whether the use of a robotic spacecraft to increase the existing fuel, the other is tested in microgravity is called "being infiltrated," the processing technology to explore new ways to reuse wastewater.

After two days of flight, July 10, "Atlantis" successfully docked with the international space station for space station astronauts stationed sent enough for consumption for one year of supplies, weighing about 4 tons, including food, clothing, scientific instruments and equipment.

15, "Atlantis" Space Shuttle on a main computer suddenly crashes, the alarm began to rise has awakened the sleeping four astronauts. "Atlantis" commander Chris Ferguson introduced warning lasted about an hour, the astronauts are awake. They then started a backup computer, and fix the fault.

It is reported that failure suspected due to cosmic rays. As the astronauts sleep affected by the ground control center will wake up their time delayed half an hour.

19, "Atlantis" Space Shuttle International Space Station from the last time, "Harmony" was (Harmony) node capsule returned to Earth. After graduation, "Atlantis" first stop 200 meters from the international space station, International Space Station is turning 90 degrees, so "Atlantis" will be able to over the space station, shooting pictures outside to check.

From the space station when the bell rings, NASA International Space Station on the team with Garland by radio reported "'Atlantis' was the last time from the space station." "Thanks to 'Atlantis' was conducted in 12 international space station missions, as well as the construction of the space station during the 37's aerospace aircraft mission."

Local time at 4:00 on the 21st (the same day at 4 pm GMT) shortly after NASA announced approval of "Atlantis" Space Shuttle "Start (derailment burning) them."

"Atlantis" was the last space shuttle mission, is set back to 2.5 tonnes on the international space station and waste material no longer required to return to Earth.

After this mission, "Atlantis" the historical mission of completely ending. After the first launch since 1985, began to count 8, the flight, it carried out 33 missions. Since then, it will work with two other United States retired the first space shuttle "Discovery", "Endeavour", as was sent to the museum for visitors viewing. U.S. 30-year shuttle program (Space Shuttle) to paint this period.

According to reports, the U.S. space shuttle program in the "Atlantis" to return to Earth 30 days after the official end of the landing, but the end of all relevant actions, including 30 years of flight records, including archives, may also need 2 years time.

Since then, the private sector to develop transport astronauts to the space station before the commercial aerospace vehicles, the United States at least 3 to 4 years must rely on as the Russian "Soyuz" spacecraft like the vehicle to send U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station.

NASA had said in March, due to inflation, from 2014 to 2016, every U.S. spacecraft from the Russian space station astronauts take the average fare will rise to $ 62,750,000, the current fare of $ 51 million.