The Space Shuttle Atlantis is in the midst of what will probably be its final mission. On Monday astronauts are installing a new antenna aboard the International Space Station. After that, they will continue delivering equipment and making two final spacewalks before returning home.
With that in mind, we thought it would be fitting to take a look back at everything that Atlantis has accomplished in its amazing 25-year career. It’s a long list, but here are some of the highlights:
- Flew more than 115 million miles (that’s the equivalent of going from New York to Los Angeles 41,000 times).
- Carried the Magellan Spacecraft into orbit, where it mapped 98% of Venus from orbit.
- Made 11 trips to the ISS and another seven to the Russian space station Mir, delivering hardware and even the important U.S. laboratory known as Destiny.
- Deployed the Galileo Spacecraft to Jupiter, where it spent eight years collecting data on the gas giant and its moons.
- Made the last-ever trip to the Hubble Space Telescope, delivering important upgrades that will serve astronomers for many years to come.
This is an interesting (and important) time in NASA’s history, and the future remains unclear. But one thing is for sure: no matter what becomes of the space agency’s future, there’s no disputing that its past, including the glory of the many Atlantis missions, is something to be very, very proud of indeed.
Congratulations to Atlantis on its brilliant 25-year run!
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