Last of the Shuttles comes down to earth

A record crowd of 2,000 gathered near the landing strip, thousands more packed Kennedy Space Centre and countless others watched from afar as Nasa’s longest-running spaceflight programme ended.

“After serving the world for over 30 years, the space shuttle’s earned its place in history. And it’s come to a final stop,” commander Christopher Ferguson radioed after a ghostlike Atlantis glided through the twilight. A voice from Mission Control replied: “Job well done, America.”

Starting with Columbia in 1981, the shuttles were Nasa’s longest-running space programme.

The five craft launched, saved and revitalised the Hubble Space Telescope; built the space station; and opened the final frontier to women, minorities, schoolteachers, and even a prince.

The first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn, became the oldest person ever in space. He was 77 at the time; he turned 90 this week.

Atlantis and its crew, Cdr Ferguson, co-pilot Douglas Hurley, Rex Walheim and Sandra Magnus, touched down at 5.57am local time, 10.57am in the UK, having successfully resupplied the space station.

“The space shuttle has changed the way we view the world and it’s changed the way we view our universe,” Cdr Ferguson said. “There’s a lot of emotion today, but one thing’s indisputable. America’s not going to stop exploring. Thank you Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Endeavour, and our ship Atlantis, thank you for protecting us and bringing this programme to such a fitting end.”

Atlantis was greeted with cheers, whistles and shouts from the astronauts’ families and friends, as well as Nasa staff.