Successful Mission Capped By Early-Morning Touchdown
Space shuttle Endeavour and its six-astronaut crew sailed home
for the final time, ending a 16-day journey of more than 6.5
million miles with a landing at 0234 EDT on Wednesday at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. STS-134 was the last mission for
the youngest of NASA's space shuttle fleet. Since 1992, Endeavour
flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671
times and traveled 122,883,151 miles.
"We are very proud of Endeavour's legacy, and this penultimate
flight of the space shuttle program once again demonstrated the
amazing skill and dedication of our astronauts and the entire
workforce," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "As we begin
the transition from the shuttle program to the commercial
transportation of our crews and cargo, our ability to tackle big
challenges remains steadfast and will ensure that NASA reaches even
more destinations farther in the solar system."
Mark Kelly commanded the flight and was joined by Pilot Greg H.
Johnson and Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel, Greg
Chamitoff and the European Space Agency's Roberto Vittori.
Endeavour delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS),
beginning a scientific voyage of discovery to our solar system and
beyond from the International Space Station. By measuring cosmic
rays, AMS is designed to help researchers understand the origin of
the universe and search for evidence of dark matter, strange matter
and antimatter.
Endeavour also delivered the Express Logistics Carrier-3, a
platform carrying spare parts that will sustain space station
operations once the shuttles are retired from service. The
astronauts performed four spacewalks to maintain station systems
and install new components.
These were the last scheduled spacewalks by shuttle crew members
and brought the final number of shuttle excursions to 164. During
159 spacewalks for assembly and maintenance of the space station,
astronauts and cosmonauts have spent a total of 1,002 hours and 37
minutes outside.
Fincke set a new record for time a U.S. astronaut has spent in
space when he reached his 377th day on May 27, surpassing previous
record holder Peggy Whitson. With today's landing, Fincke's record
now is at 382 days in space.
STS-134 was the 134th shuttle flight and the 36th shuttle
mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance. With
Endeavour and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the launch
of shuttle Atlantis on its STS-135 mission, targeted to begin July
8. Four veteran astronauts will deliver supplies and spare parts to
the space station. The 12-day mission also will install an
experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies
and techniques needed to refuel satellites in space robotically --
even satellites not designed to be serviced.
Chris Ferguson, a veteran of two previous shuttle missions, will
command the flight. Doug Hurley will be the pilot, a role he filled
on the STS-127 mission in 2009. Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim will
be the mission specialists. Magnus spent four and a half months
aboard the station beginning in November 2008. Walheim flew on the
STS-110 mission in 2002 and the STS-122 mission in 2008.
STS-135 will be Atlantis' 33rd mission and the 37th shuttle
flight dedicated to station assembly and maintenance. It will be
the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.