Hitting Home That the Space Shuttle Program is Ending

By Nancy Atkinson - April 14, 2010 at 6:07 AM UTC | Missions
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As NASA's space shuttles head towards retirement, events are starting to happen now that are "lasts" for the program. On April 13, 2010 Atlantis was rolled over to the Vehicle Assembly Building for what is likely the last time. The workers at Kennedy Space Center are preparing Atlantis for its final flight, STS-132, currently scheduled for launch in mid-May 2010, and in the VAB the orbiter will be mated to the External Tank and solid rocket boosters. Thanks to photographer

Alan Walters

, Universe Today hopes to be able to chronicle these final events as the storied space shuttle program comes to an end. Of course, with NASA's future seemingly in a state of flux, there's a small possibility additional shuttle flights will be added, but enjoy this gallery of Alan's wonderful pictures showing what is scheduled to be Atlantis' final rollover.

[caption id="attachment_62680" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Atlantis just leaving the Orbiter Processing Facility. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today"]

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[caption id="attachment_62681" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Atlantis moving to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today"]

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[caption id="attachment_62682" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Atlantis, head on! Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today"]

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[caption id="attachment_62683" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Atlantis during the last rollover to the VAB. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today"]

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[caption id="attachment_62687" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The aft end of Atlantis, as seen during the rollover. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today"]

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[caption id="attachment_62684" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Atlantis during its likely last rollover to the VAB. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today"]

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[caption id="attachment_62685" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Atlantis entering the VAB for what is likely the last time. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today"]

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Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com