1 00:00:00,820 --> 00:00:01,229 \h 2 00:00:01,230 --> 00:00:04,260 Chris Ferguson, Commander, STS-135: The magic of the space shuttle is just its enormity, it's 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:10,666 huge and it flies up and back and there will be no parallel like that, I think, for 100 years. 4 00:00:11,410 --> 00:00:14,159 Bob Crippen, Pilot, STS-1: I think the shuttle has been one of the most marvelous vehicles 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,293 that has ever gone into space or done anything. 6 00:00:18,430 --> 00:00:20,496 Bob Sieck, Former Shuttle Launch Director: You can imagine the early spacecraft, barely the 7 00:00:22,430 --> 00:00:28,296 size of a desk for one or two astronauts, now the spacecraft is the size of an airliner. 8 00:00:30,620 --> 00:00:33,189 Wayne Bingham, United Space Alliance When you saw it, you thought, 'How can something like 9 00:00:33,190 --> 00:00:34,870 this fly?' You've got all these tiles on the bottom of it and it was like bricks, 10 00:00:36,910 --> 00:00:39,243 if you want to look at it that way. 11 00:00:39,620 --> 00:00:40,176 NARRATOR: There was never a spacecraft like it. As large as a DC-9 airliner, 12 00:00:44,130 --> 00:00:44,683 but strong enough to withstand the vacuum of space . . . 13 00:00:47,310 --> 00:00:52,310 big enough to carry huge satellites and built to be reused dozens of times. 14 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:53,830 And it had wings, just like the imagined spaceships science fiction writers designed 15 00:00:57,450 --> 00:01:00,050 for their fantastic tales of adventure. 16 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:00,870 SEICK: And the sophistication of that, again compared to the earlier vehicles, 17 00:01:04,730 --> 00:01:09,596 was difficult to get accustomed to, particularly since we were making the 18 00:01:10,490 --> 00:01:15,956 transition from the era of wires and switches and meters to digital and computers. 19 00:01:18,700 --> 00:01:22,966 WAYNE BINGHAM: When STS-1 came in, it was a totally new vehicle. 20 00:01:23,410 --> 00:01:24,323 A lot of work left to be done on it. We still had to do hydraulic lines in the aft, 21 00:01:28,030 --> 00:01:34,363 APU lines in the aft. It had well over thousands of tile to go do yet to put on the spacecraft. 22 00:01:34,380 --> 00:01:35,086 The timeframe as far as getting the overall integrated schedule, 23 00:01:37,940 --> 00:01:39,110 it was really hard and difficult on a lot of people. Pretty much three shifts a day, 24 00:01:42,370 --> 00:01:45,836 round the clock, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:47,956 NARRATOR: NASA built five shuttles to go into space, naming them after ships of 26 00:01:50,910 --> 00:01:53,310 exploration in previous generations: 27 00:01:53,730 --> 00:01:57,463 Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour. 28 00:01:59,220 --> 00:01:59,500 They were larger than any other spacecraft, capable of carrying 25 tons in its 29 00:02:04,140 --> 00:02:05,673 60-foot-long cargo bay. 30 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:08,213 Another difference with previous spacecraft: shuttles could bring large payloads back, 31 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:12,593 giving scientists a chance to see their experiments' results firsthand. 32 00:02:16,780 --> 00:02:17,353 The shuttles also carried more people on a single flight than ever before. 33 00:02:21,140 --> 00:02:25,340 The shuttle flew crews of eight. The previous record was three. 34 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:27,550 Shuttle astronauts also looked different than the fliers of previous programs. 35 00:02:30,930 --> 00:02:36,463 Women and minorities would be seen working in space throughout the shuttle program. 36 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:42,733 Astronauts ranging in age to John Glenn's 77 made their way into space on shuttles. 37 00:02:43,390 --> 00:02:43,863 Scientists have used the space shuttle as a platform to study our own planet, 38 00:02:48,050 --> 00:02:53,116 life and materials science, our solar system . . . and the universe itself. 39 00:02:54,710 --> 00:02:55,390 Perhaps its most famous accomplishment is NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, 40 00:02:58,830 --> 00:02:59,103 which has dazzled us for more than 20 years with discoveries wrapped up in unimaginable beauty. 41 00:03:04,890 --> 00:03:05,810 Five teams of astronauts worked on the observatory as it orbited Earth, giving life and 42 00:03:09,770 --> 00:03:12,836 capabilities far beyond what it launched with. 43 00:03:13,310 --> 00:03:15,683 Mike Coats, Three-time Shuttle Astronaut: Servicing the Hubble Space Telescope is one of the 44 00:03:17,070 --> 00:03:17,573 space shuttle's finest accomplishments. We've had several servicing missions. 45 00:03:21,700 --> 00:03:27,566 They saved the Hubble Space Telescope on the very first mission, if you will, that we've 46 00:03:29,110 --> 00:03:34,176 extended the life of the Hubble Space Telescope so many years and the things 47 00:03:35,990 --> 00:03:40,590 we've learned from the Hubble and from the other telescopes up there, 48 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:42,566 is just astounding nowadays. 49 00:03:43,180 --> 00:03:44,320 NARRATOR: These accomplishments did not come about without struggles. 50 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:47,746 Accidents struck the shuttle program twice, each time provoking new introspection in the 51 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:56,800 agency. Challenger broke up 73 seconds into flight on January 28, 1986. Columbia, 52 00:03:59,510 --> 00:04:00,466 returning to Earth following a successful scientific mission, succumbed to the forces of 53 00:04:04,420 --> 00:04:08,886 re-entry and was lost over Texas and Louisiana on February 1, 2003. 54 00:04:10,710 --> 00:04:13,576 Each shuttle had seven astronauts on board. 55 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,633 Barbara Morgan, Educator Astronaut: We could have shut the program down after Challenger. 56 00:04:16,820 --> 00:04:17,280 We could have shut the program down after Columbia. 57 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:21,526 We could have stuck our heads in the sand and let the future happen however it was going to 58 00:04:24,060 --> 00:04:24,360 happen. But we didn't. We decided to figure out what went wrong -- 59 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,513 more importantly than that, figure out what we did wrong -- 60 00:04:30,740 --> 00:04:31,786 fix it to the best of our ability, and keep the doors open for our young people 61 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:36,693 and keep that future open. 62 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:43,160 LAUNCH COMMENTATOR: T-10 seconds, go for main engine start . . . seven, six, five . . . 63 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:50,440 three engines up and burning . . . three, two , one and liftoff of space shuttle Discovery 64 00:04:51,710 --> 00:04:55,776 beginning America's new journey to the moon, Mars and beyond. 65 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,613 And the vehicle has cleared the tower. 66 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:00,433 NARRATOR: Astronauts flew shuttles back into space following each accident to 67 00:05:03,340 --> 00:05:03,713 fulfill missions and to honor the legacy of exploration. 68 00:05:06,700 --> 00:05:10,700 As the program evolved, shuttle missions grew in complexity. 69 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:11,846 Ground teams and astronauts gained new experience in activities like spacewalking, 70 00:05:15,300 --> 00:05:18,966 using robotics, and capturing and deploying satellites. 71 00:05:19,630 --> 00:05:25,430 The next big change in the program came in 1995 when the shuttle fleet focused on a new 72 00:05:25,830 --> 00:05:27,230 destination in orbit. 73 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:28,410 Discovery performed a flyby with the Russian space station Mir, 74 00:05:32,590 --> 00:05:33,666 then Atlantis docked with the outpost a couple months later to begin a string of shuttle 75 00:05:37,380 --> 00:05:38,380 visits bringing supplies and new astronauts to take turns living in space for months at 76 00:05:42,180 --> 00:05:45,713 a time, far longer than any American had done before. 77 00:05:47,140 --> 00:05:47,290 In 1998, NASA began a mission that would take more than 10 years and 36 shuttle flights to 78 00:05:52,990 --> 00:05:53,296 complete. It would push the astronauts, space workers and the shuttles farther than before. 79 00:05:58,750 --> 00:05:59,620 Together with 15 other nations, NASA began construction of the largest spacecraft in history, 80 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,213 the International Space Station. 81 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:12,240 Bob Cabana commanded the first construction mission, STS-88, in December 1998. 82 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,483 Bob Cabana, Four-time Shuttle Astronaut: To know what we were laying the groundwork for and 83 00:06:16,770 --> 00:06:17,136 to have it go as smoothly as it did from start to finish, that was a unique flight 84 00:06:21,870 --> 00:06:24,070 and a very rewarding opportunity. 85 00:06:24,790 --> 00:06:28,990 NARRATOR: Astronauts born in Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, 86 00:06:30,860 --> 00:06:32,996 Australia and all over Europe carried their nations' flags into space. 87 00:06:33,390 --> 00:06:35,149 Chris Hadfield Astronaut, Canadian Space Agency: Yeah, we're all international astronauts. 88 00:06:35,150 --> 00:06:35,540 It's a worldwide program. It's the International Space Station. 89 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:39,856 And I think that's one of the great legacies of the shuttle also is that, 90 00:06:42,930 --> 00:06:48,663 that it allowed the world to come together and build our first great outpost in space. 91 00:06:53,150 --> 00:06:54,320 NARRATOR: Astronauts moved into the International Space Station in 2000, 92 00:06:56,780 --> 00:06:59,713 and spaceflight success was redefined again. 93 00:07:00,180 --> 00:07:02,629 Dan Tani, Shuttle Astronaut, Station Resident: Now of course sort of the pinnacle of an 94 00:07:02,630 --> 00:07:02,826 astronaut career is to go live on the space station. 95 00:07:05,900 --> 00:07:07,150 NARRATOR: Working in crews of two, three and six as the station grew, the astronauts 96 00:07:10,250 --> 00:07:14,516 performed experiments, learned how to refine station systems and 97 00:07:14,980 --> 00:07:15,633 acclimated themselves to the world of weightlessness. 98 00:07:17,860 --> 00:07:18,090 TANI: We had bedrooms, we had laboratory, we had windows to take pictures out of. 99 00:07:23,030 --> 00:07:23,066 It was a fully functioning laboratory, so it was just an awesome place to live. 100 00:07:28,260 --> 00:07:29,570 You get used to zero-g, and then you get used to sort of the daily operations, 101 00:07:32,150 --> 00:07:32,230 what you have to do every day. Talk to the ground, find some time to have your meals 102 00:07:37,670 --> 00:07:41,670 and call your family and write your e-mails to your friends. 103 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:47,306 I found it very easy to adapt to living in space and I really enjoyed it a lot. 104 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:49,526 NARRATOR: Crews also took on in-orbit repairs -- including to the shuttle itself and the 105 00:07:52,900 --> 00:07:54,766 International Space Station. 106 00:07:55,690 --> 00:07:56,396 NARRATOR: The last flight of the storied Space Shuttle Program, STS-135, will carry tons 107 00:08:00,850 --> 00:08:01,726 of equipment and supplies to the ISS, leaving the orbiting laboratory well-stocked for another 108 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,106 decade of research in orbit. 109 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:10,946 Four astronauts will perform the mission, working with the space station's six residents to 110 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:13,150 unload the supplies during much of the 12-day mission. 111 00:08:16,210 --> 00:08:22,010 All four are veteran fliers, commanded by Chris Ferguson. Doug Hurley will be the pilot 112 00:08:22,030 --> 00:08:22,076 and Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim are the mission specialists. 113 00:08:26,050 --> 00:08:27,740 CHRIS FERGUSON: We kept the scope of the mission fairly compact, you know, it's an MPLM 114 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:30,426 resupply, logistics mission. There's one EVA, but that spacewalk is being done by the space 115 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:40,160 station crew, so the scope is a little bit smaller as a result. 116 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:41,683 NARRATOR: Because this is the final shuttle mission, its patch would carry extra meaning. 117 00:08:45,450 --> 00:08:46,356 The wife of Mission Specialist Rex Walheim came up with the design. 118 00:08:49,010 --> 00:08:51,649 Rex Walheim, Mission Specialist, STS-135: Well, we wanted to make it a celebration, 119 00:08:51,650 --> 00:08:54,246 we wanted to make it a happy patch that really encompasses the kind of history of the Space 120 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:55,840 Shuttle Program. So in some respects it mirrors a little bit the STS-1 patch with the full 121 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:00,586 shuttle on there and we wanted to also honor the whole NASA/contractor team, the whole team 122 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:07,323 that has made the space shuttle possible and we did that by putting a portion of the NASA 123 00:09:11,170 --> 00:09:14,026 emblem in the middle with the swoosh on there and then we also wanted to signify that it as 124 00:09:14,380 --> 00:09:17,380 the last mission. We did that with the omega. 125 00:09:17,650 --> 00:09:18,720 NARRATOR: After 134 missions, the shuttle program has pushed the boundaries of what was 126 00:09:22,380 --> 00:09:25,246 possible for people to accomplish in space. 127 00:09:25,740 --> 00:09:28,473 Mike Leinbach, Shuttle Launch Director: The space program since its early days has been really 128 00:09:29,340 --> 00:09:29,960 something to point at as a piece of history, American history, and space shuttle for the last 129 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:35,730 30 years has been the way we get American astronauts on to orbit and international astronauts 130 00:09:40,310 --> 00:09:45,576 with us. So it will be remembered as this part of American spaceflight history. 131 00:09:45,770 --> 00:09:48,369 Sandy Magnus, Mission Specialist, STS-135: To have a vehicle like the shuttle that launches as 132 00:09:48,370 --> 00:09:50,570 a rocket, lands as a heavy glider, and does all the different kind of functions on orbit that 133 00:09:52,370 --> 00:09:54,410 it has over the years, I think it's going to stand in the annals of history as a very unique, 134 00:09:56,530 --> 00:09:59,396 versatile, kind of a one-of-a-kind vehicle. 135 00:10:01,310 --> 00:10:02,826 Doug Hurley, Pilot, STS-135: The Hubble Space Telescope, the space station, I mean, just 136 00:10:05,660 --> 00:10:11,726 tremendous accomplishments. You know a winged vehicle that is able to come back to a runway 137 00:10:11,820 --> 00:10:12,140 developed in the 70s, I mean, it's just a tremendous technological feat even now. 138 00:10:16,900 --> 00:10:19,646 I don't think we're going to see a vehicle like it in the near future. And I'm just proud that 139 00:10:20,420 --> 00:10:22,553 I was one very small part of it. 140 00:10:25,170 --> 00:10:27,369 Rick Mastracchio, Three-time Shuttle Astronaut: I think people are going to look back on the 141 00:10:27,370 --> 00:10:28,240 space shuttle and think it was one of the most incredible vehicles built by mankind. 142 00:10:32,100 --> 00:10:36,633 CRIPPEN: It allowed us to fly into space in a fairly routine manner. 143 00:10:37,630 --> 00:10:43,763 It will be a long time before we see another vehicle nearly as capable as the space shuttle. 144 00:10:44,830 --> 00:10:46,400 FERGUSON: It'll be remembered, I think, for its pioneering, for its aerospace and just the