Final Space Shuttle Launch
July 8, 2011 was the launch of STS-135, and the final mission of the American Space Shuttle program. It put the orbiter Atlantis and the hardware originally processed for the STS-135 launched on the 8th of July and had been originally scheduled to touchdown on July 20, 2011, but ended up extended to the 21 of July, 2011. This 4 person crew was the smallest of any shuttle mission since STS-6 in April 1983. The primary cargo for this mission was the Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Raffaello and a Lightweight Multipurpose Carrier (LMC). With Raffaello, the flight marked the only time that Atlantis carried and MPLM.
Although this mission had been authorized, initially it had no appropriation in the NASA budget, raising questions about whether this mission would fly. On 20 January 2011, program managers changed STS-335 to STS-135 on the flight manifest. Doing this allowed for training and other specific mission preparations.Program managers told that STS-135 would fly regardless of the funding situation. It did fly, and it was the last launch due to lack of funding in the NASA corporation.
Although this mission had been authorized, initially it had no appropriation in the NASA budget, raising questions about whether this mission would fly. On 20 January 2011, program managers changed STS-335 to STS-135 on the flight manifest. Doing this allowed for training and other specific mission preparations.Program managers told that STS-135 would fly regardless of the funding situation. It did fly, and it was the last launch due to lack of funding in the NASA corporation.