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Space Shuttle Atlantis facts for kids

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Atlantis
OV‑104
STS132 Atlantis undocking2 (cropped).jpg
Atlantis in orbit in 2010, during STS-132
OV designation OV-104
Country United States
Contract award 29 January 1979
Named after RV Atlantis
Status Retired. Displayed at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
First flight STS-51-J
3–7 October 1985
Last flight STS-135
8–21 July 2011
No. of missions 33
Crew members 207
Time spent in space 306 days, 14 hours, 12 minutes, 43 seconds as of STS-135
No. of orbits 4,848
Distance travelled 125,935,769 miles (202,673,974 km) as of STS-135
Satellites deployed 14
Mir dockings 7
ISS dockings 12

The Space Shuttle Atlantis (also known as OV‑104) was a special spacecraft. It was part of the Space Shuttle fleet used by NASA. NASA is the United States' agency for spaceflight and space exploration.

Atlantis was built by Rockwell International in California. It arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April 1985. It was the fourth Space Shuttle to be used for missions. Its very first flight, called STS-51-J, happened from October 3 to 7, 1985.

Atlantis Takes Its Final Flight

Atlantis flew its 33rd and last mission, STS-135, on July 8, 2011. This was also the very last flight for any Space Shuttle. Before this, the mission STS-134 by Endeavour was expected to be the final one. But STS-135 was approved in October 2010.

The mission used plans that were already ready. These plans were for a "Launch on Need" mission. This kind of mission would have been needed if the crew of STS-134 got stuck in space. Atlantis landed for the last time at the Kennedy Space Center on July 21, 2011.

Amazing Journeys of Atlantis

By the end of its last mission, Atlantis had traveled a huge distance. It orbited the Earth 4,848 times. This means it flew almost 126 million miles (203 million km). That's more than 525 times the distance from Earth to the Moon!

How Atlantis Got Its Name

The Space Shuttle Atlantis was named after a research ship. This ship was called RV Atlantis. It was a two-masted sailing ship. From 1930 to 1966, it was used by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This institution studies the ocean.

Images for kids

  • Atlantis silhouette

    Space Shuttle Atlantis as it transits the Sun

  • STS-27metalmelt

    Melted aluminum plating on Atlantis's right wing underside (STS-27).

  • STS-132 Atlantis at ISS 1

    Atlantis docked to the International Space Station during STS-132 mission.

  • Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-132

    Atlantis heads toward Earth orbit at the beginning of STS-132.

  • STS-135 Atlantis and Southern Lights

    Space Shuttle Atlantis docked to the ISS for the final time.

  • Space Shuttle Placement Announcement - 201104120001HQ

    NASA administrator Charlie Bolden announces that Atlantis will remain at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on permanent exhibition.

  • Atlantis on display - pre-opening

    Atlantis display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on 10 June 2013

  • STS125 crew portrait1

    Crewmembers for the final Hubble Servicing Mission, STS-125 pose for a photo on the flight deck of Atlantis.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Transbordador espacial Atlantis para niños

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