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Thirty Years of NASA Space Shuttle Missions

The shuttle Columbia lifts off on the first space shuttle mission ever, STS-1, on April 12, 1981.

NASA's space shuttle fleet is hanging up its wings after 30 years. The first shuttle flight, STS-1, launched on April 12, 1981.

Only two weeks remain until NASA launches its final space shuttle mission.
The Atlantis astronauts will spend the week rehearsing launch day for a July 8 liftoff.
NASA rolled out its final space shuttle mission's cargo pod to the launch pad Thursday.
The Lockheed space division layoffs will take effect by the end of the year.
NASA is performing a tanking test today to make sure Atlantis' external fuel tank is safe enough to launch on July 8.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says 'NASA is in the way' of space exploration.
A look at the major milestones leading up to the final launch of NASA's space shuttle program.
The Robotic Refueling Mission is a novel experiment that will fly on Atlantis' upcoming STS-135 mission.
Europe's space agency hopes to launch a reusable robot space plane into orbit by 2020.
The iPhones will be loaded with an app to perform experiments in space
See the first-ever photos of a NASA shuttle and the International Space Station linked together as seen from another spacecraft.
See the first-ever photos of a NASA shuttle (Endeavour) and ISS as seen from a nearby Soyuz.
NASA's last space shuttle to fly will carry some special "nose art" on its fuel tank during its July 8 launch.
Case your vote for the most memorable photo of the human spaceflight era.
As Endeavour landed on June 1, the orbiter's double sonic booms led to the arrest of two men accused of a string of burglaries.
The United States Honor Flag, which flew over the World Trade Center site after September 11th, has been handed off to NASA in preparation for its flight aboard Atlantis on the final mission of the Space Shuttle program.
Detecting the sounds of damage aboard spacecraft could help avert disasters, researchers suggest.
Endeavour will begin preparations for a life of leisure as a museum showpiece.