STS-135: Final Launch of the Space Shuttle Program

[ti994apc]

Shuttle (like the Vietnam War) taught us many things about what NOT to do. We learned Wernher von Braun was correct about not using Solid fuel on a rocket that carries people. We proved re-usability, but we also learned about its huge impracticality by the 3rd launch. It never came remotely came close to its promised $50million p/launch cost. It was 1.5 billion. Its a shame on all Americans for letting the program continue so long because so many people and resources were lost.

[raptors222222]

"Across the sea of space. The stars are like our sun. We've traveled this way way before and there is much to be learned."

[hisuleiman]

0:28 that is all.

[MrAstronaut2013]

How can people hate this video. Its shows the last Space shuttle mission.

[motorcyclefairings01]

just about all the most beneficial ...

[MrAstronaut2013]

Send it to the moon

[MrAstronaut2013]

In future I was going make a space craft called Odessey. Thats my goal.

[MrAstronaut2013]

Space shuttle Atlantis is my favorite Space shuttle. Glad to see the launches it had.

[roofrepairhq]

Truly appreciate your concentration !

[roofrepairhq]

How numerous fresh movie clips happen to be each week

[hatfieldlainall]

Can you endorse much more youtube channels similar to yours

[TurboBusinessPro]

Looks like everybody is chatting around your current video clips ...

[acswaterproofing]

I hope you do not mind indicate your video recordings to help my training system students !!!

[coupons5]

i really like this video

[eminemquotes]

lovely video

[katynca1]

Thanks for the great video

[mikenotify]

I've been watching your great video

[MyDavidsun]

very informative video

[TheSanovita]

Your video is awesome! 

[nutridopolska]

I may actually beg extra training videos very good !!!

[BeverleyAvaloi256]

All your These are so wonderful ...

[Brittanionf529]

STS 135 is so cool!

[Strikersean211]

i didnt see the launch live:((((( i was very upset,  but im happy that i was able to watch it on youtube:))))

[andreeaweed]

interesting video 

[wierdsmabob]

I suppose the dislike might be due to the somewhat static single camera video image. Other than that very impressive!

[mastersanchez99]

we cant fund this but we can fund two wars?

[TG1212able]

@mastersanchez99 It is disappointing that in so many ways we waste money while worthwhile causes like space exploration are put on the back burner. But don't forget that during the moon missions we were in Vietnam and the portion of the budget that went to defense at that time was significantly larger than today.

[EmpireofBritain96]

those who disliked probably had diarrhea that came out faster than the shuttle :)

[superotherguy1]

@EmpireofBritain96 O______O

[optikasia]

Awsome, so many interested people in one place. Fascinatic program!

[dinoloverist]

Chris Ferguson is retired

and he served NASA Good Luck!

[HNDNV07]

I can't make out what the CAPCOM is saying at 1:50 "No action on...?. Then at 1:54 the pilot "Roger, no action on...?. What's a 'transducer instrumentation only"? Great video!! Thanks NASA TV.

[64MojoMan]

if you look left of the ET at 4:50

youll see foam break off

[dinoloverist]

I am happy that very favorite space shuttle

the Atlantis will stay on display at the Kennedy

Space Center!

[railfanatic844]

me and my friends were litterally cheering as we watched the launch on the internet on skype. ride on rocket man.

[Titan8883]

I was so lucky to be there for the launch, with a 70% chance of a scrub that day, it was the best gamble of my life!

[rnuge01]

I remember the launch of Sputnik, and pretty much everything from that point on. I find it all amazing to this day. We have accomplished so much in space, but we haven't learned to live in peace on earth.

[dinoloverist]

Greatest Mission

in space history!!!!

[rhersh2011]

No administration since the 1960s with JFK had they done enough with aerospace, engineering, ISS

[andresggcf]

awwsome first time i see a liftoof go through a cloud :P

[ukaffx]

4:01 down-right you can see flying object. And its not a straight line :)

[geomodelrailroader]

the reson the video starts at 30 seconds is because twenty seconds before the event controler malfunctioned and did not report the binny cap retracted but video of the pad showed the binny cap was in it's launch cradal and Mike Lambac gave the go for launch again and 30 seconds later Atlantis was off and the Shuttle Program was over. LONG LIVE THE SHUTTLE

[NoMoreJuggling]

NASA have been a positive influence on my life since 1969. I ALWAYS wanted to go to space since then. Now, What do I wish ?

[DoctorJuergen]

This is the best main engine start sound available on youtube!!!

[bazadata]

Wow.  People talk on their mobile phones believing man never stepped on the Moon. I feel sorry for them.

[Willysmb44]

22 dislikes I guess are from people who have NO imagination... How you can watch this and not be incredibly impressed is beyond me!

[MCH102690]

There is some foam at 5:04 that just missed the wing ... wow I didnt catch that when I saw this live!

[MusicalFan1701]

@MCH102690 A foam strike at that point in the launch would be harmless - the air is thin and the relative velocity between foam and orbiter is very low.

[sail027li]

I hope our civilization isn't headed into "Planet of the Apes" mode.

[topfloor2008]

earth than any other technology or science in modern hisory. I hope to see the continuation of a modified shuttle program and mars lander exploration type adventures. We stand to gain more from it than we could possibly imagine!

[topfloor2008]

Goosebumps creep up my legs arms and neck as I watch this magnificent beast lift off! I have been completely enamored by the shuttle program for 30 years. The wierd thing is most people I know including my family, friends and co-workers don't get it other than the fact that it is "kinda cool". The adventurous and curious nature of space travel has tapered off and leaves me sad at the reality of it. The truth is that the past space programs have produced more technology and understanding of our

[thebigshea]

I believe with the accident of the Russian rocket, it shows how the shuttles will be missed. The greatest machines ever built by man, the space shuttles proved that even after about 20-25 years of flight for each orbiter, nothing came close to the abilities they provided. Every time one was launched, I felt a great sense of pride for the United States and the people who developed this wonderful system.

[NoMoreJuggling]

Let me fly !

[WARHAWKMAD1]

21 people thought there was gonna be another one to catch live

[LouistheHedgehog]

Ground Control to major Tom...

[WartPijnacker]

At the point of external tank separation you can see a small piece leaving the aft of the spacecraft, anyone knows what this is?

From around 9:22 you can see it appear in between the tank and the shuttle.

[aimhigh59]

@WartPijnacker Could be ice or foam...

[TheEmpireSports]

@WartPijnacker Ice for sure.

[JAAshard]

All 3 engines up and burning.lol

[brickbuilder711]

Does anyone know what they mean by "No Action DPDT"?

[VIR092]

@brickbuilder711 Yes, that's a simple one. A "dp/dt" situation is techincal speak for a cabin pressure leak in mathematical notation - differentials in particular. Good thing it was just a transducer.

A cabin depressurization is a -dp/dt.

[brickbuilder711]

@VIR092 OH. Thanks for the answer!

[VIR092]

@brickbuilder711 No problem. : )

[kyleemuy]

I saw this in person

[wcboggs]

Sure NASA cand send a man into space but wtf, no HD!?

[SparkyMinecraft]

@wcboggs HD cameras are very delicate peices of tech. To put it throught that ammount of trauma breaking through the sound barrier then braking the atmoshphere, It's very complicated, also you have to think about the ammount of pressure being put on the camera. The cameras that are attatched to the space ship are encassed by things that would cost more than a car, just be happy that you can see whats going on with or withoud HD. Theres always 480p :D!

[Rahkashimaster]

Got up at 6 to watch her launch, stayed up all night to watch her land. Was 100% worth it.

[96STcelica]

shes one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen

[Duncan038]

Awesome! Even Buck Rogers flew one , how much cooler could this thing be?

[jackwolf131]

I miss the shuttle program already...

[jackwolf131]

Thank you so much, NASA, for a beautiful show for 30 years. This has been the most interesting 30 years of the space program. We hope we can continue the quest for Moon, Mars and beyond. I learned a lot from the shuttle program from STS-1 to the the "Major malfunction" anomaly, to STS-95 to the "Columbia, Houston UHF com check" era and finally to STS-135. We will continue to improve and grow in our knowledge because "we were made to explore", as what every one of the astronauts proclaimed

[EpiDemic117]

america has to continue doing what it has always done for the most part. LEADING ahead of the pack. We need to make space access affordable and cheap yes? have private companies isn't going to solve a majority of this problem. Nasa must continue on paving the way. 

[EpiDemic117]

Future generation. The baby boomers have predictably FAILED US, which was expected since those morons have no capability or capacity. It's up to YOU to get your heads out of your asses. AND MAKE THIS NATION A PLACE WORTH LIVING IN ONCE AGAIN! I SAY WE CONTINUE To develop a new space craft. Something new and radical, Something that doesn't require expendable boosters. SOMETHING LIKE WHAT THE X33 project had to offer.

[EpiDemic117]

21 people are mad because they never saw it with their own eyes.

[BlazingAngels220099]

each mercury astronaut made 3 accounts and disliked this.

[rednecklover2011]

how could you not like this??? i mean really. get a grip

[nakazatoGTR]

you did think atlantis had her last hurrah.. but heck no lol

[millu1986]

Welcome Home Atlantis! Sadly the ShuttleProgramm has come to an end =(

[MRRWJ2]

Anyone noticed that when the space program ended, the NASA scientists will lose their jobs, well some of them.

[stormspottertodd]

I've took video from the A. Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville. Available at my stormspottertodd account.

[LordTubz]

Apart from maybe Concorde, NOTHING beats the majesty of a Shuttle launch... I will miss them greatly... :(

[Erevos85]

farewell...

[TheNakedWombat]

Fantastic. I remember watching the first space shuttle in class when I was in Grade 5.

[terryk1233]

@skeatesy1

I am human and intelligent enough to enjoy what is taking place in front of my eyes. I don't dread what was written by man thousands of years ago.

[st31986]

4:00 ++ is it in orbit?? it seems like it's not moving :P

[darrenholcomb42]

. . ."filled with travelers whom, he said, would not fear the vastness of space" -Carl Sagan

[raptors222222]

"Across the sea of space, the stars are other suns. We have traveled this way before and there is much to be learned." -Carl Sagan

[mccoy195]

@gosiaaagr oh no this is bad on the launch of colombia's fatal mission in 2003 a piece of foam fell off from the shuttle the sts-135 mission could be destroyed on reentry i am going to tell this to NASA

[premiumblend100]

question: What happens to the tank when it seperates from the shuttle. does it fall or do we just let billions of dollars drift into space.

[aimhigh59]

@premiumblend100 Most of it burns up on re-entry. The beefy parts fall into the ocean.

[delorien06]

Just like the concorde, we are back again in stone age, and now whats next? two or three years launching soyus vehicles?

[MrOutofthis]

i cant believe for one minute that america has to rely on russia now to get into space.hello wake up,come on ppl,black space projects have been going on for years.

[ghostdogmovies]

@MrOutofthis Why is it when people say "wake up" they are the only person clearly unconscious to reality?

[faostube]

the shuttle was a nice plane but it was plagued with so many design flaws ... can't fly through rain, clouds, etc. everything has to be perfect to launch this thing which, is what causes the massive delays in launch we always saw on every launch.

[Supremist77]

@faostube First of all, it's not a plane, it's an orbiter. Second, so many design flaws? Clearly you can see that it CAN fly through clouds, just not convective weather. The space shuttle was in service for 30 years with only 2 major incidents. I'd say we did pretty good considering the fact that NASA had to pave the way for these types of missions to even be possible.

[Camdenyard]

I traveled to FL to see the launch. My only one in person, glad it went off on time and safely.

[gosiaaagr]

WHAT IS THE OBJECT APPEARS IN 5:03 MIN. ON THE LEFT ???????????

[aimhigh59]

@gosiaaagr Piece of foam....

[ew60e]

@gosiaaagr - ICE (pl: lód)

[ghostdogmovies]

@gosiaaagr You never watched this in school did you?

[gosiaaagr]

@ghostdogmovies and you have some problems with yourself do you?

[03Wale]

I didn't watch this live because it made my sad,I'm just seeing the launch now

[TranyaAddict]

That last separation was so very cool. They should have had Star Trek music over that part!

[ksol1460tv]

@TranyaAddict Yes!! I like the way NasaTV has William Shatner narrating and plays the Star Trek theme for their station IDs.

[sawrip]

If only the Wright Brothers could see this ....

[MrOutofthis]

@sawrip ,they would wonder why we had stopped advancing since the first shuttle launch

[MUtdChannel]

he got to space after 2 minutes wtf

[chomperman32]

A dream of mine that came true. I drove all night from Huntsville Al to see it. And would do it again. Thank you NASA for a beautiful launch. It was as if I was 10 again watching Neil Armstrong take that first historic step on the Moon.

[NoMoreJuggling]

@chomperman32 Wow. I applaude you. I wanted, for ALL MY LIFE, to be ON IT !

[Jhat420]

just got home from my trip to see this live...there is NOTHING like it in the world and I am very fortunate to have been able to see 2 launches (128 and 135). It was definately worth the 900 or so mile drive from Baltimore, and I would do it a 3rd time if given the opportunity. Lets just hope that the US comes up with another vehicle to launch soon so i can have another trip down there to see the beginning of another program!

[mccoy195]

@platnum warrior you are right ive been interested in space exploration for some time,and ifound out the next space program is called orion which will start between 2014-2017 they are going to do a manned manned lunar landing by 2019 and a martian landing by 2031.also india,and europe are preparing for a manned lunar landing by 10 years

[mccoy195]

@skeatsy1.if you are saying to end the space forever and go back to being hobo's like you, i am going to come to your house and teach you a lesson.cause ever sinci i was 6 i have dreamed of going into space.ana i am NOT going to let a nerd like you crush my hopes and dreams

[mccoy195]

@skeatsy1.first whats up with the name SKEATESY.second what are you 4 years old 'fairies'.third what are you even SAYING.finally,give me your parents # cause YOU NEED SOME HELP

[mccoy195]

@deedubya that was so cool watching the launch in person, but i live in maryland so i watched it live @nasa.gov they showed us the launch till the external fuel tank seperation if you want to see it,i have the video of the fuel tank seperation. feel free to watch it

[deaconblues1234]

skeatesy1: Hmm. What about Mary Kay Letourneau? What about Leona Helmsley? What about Imelda Marcos? What about Lisa Nowak? Heck, since we're talking Bible, what about Eve or Jezebel??? There's plenty for both sides of humanity. So I must agree with zpocquette. Please calm yourself.

[zpocquette]

skeatesy1........I want you,to SHUT UP!

[neildall]

What was that that flung off to the left at 5:03

[Crimble67]

Here is a strange coincidence, the shuttle is scheduled to return to Earth on July 20th which is the exact day that Niel Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969, 42 years ago!!!

[bookerdann]

Absolutely beautiful! What a shame that our government is willing to forgo a manned space program because of a money crunch caused partly by the government's insistence on creating and maintaining wars for the enrichment of the defense industry. A damn shame indeed.

[AngryHornetZapcat25]

THIS IS THE END OF A HAPPY ERA IN SPACE TRAVEL

[yoavcool1]

please america... don't stop space exploration... we have reached such a high level, and now you descend to lower levels of war... is it better to send 100,000 more soldiers to the middle east, then to explore space peacefully without fighting?

[PlatnumWarrior]

@yoavcool1 They're not stopping the space program they are preparing for more lunar and Mars missions witch will require rockets like the Apollo project not short range shuttles that we've been using. So this isn't a end just a pause for a even bigger adventure into space.

[lllexaKorotenko]

жаль, что эта эпоха прошла. Мне будет его не хватать. Хоть я и русский-)

[Supra0809]

I'm not up to date so can someone inform me why this is the last launch?

[PlatnumWarrior]

@Supra0809 Because they are no setting their sites on manned Mars and Lunar mission witch will require rockets like in the Apollo program not shuttles that have a fairly short range.

[SpaceJockey3mp]

i'm really going to miss the shuttle. I feel like i grew up with the thing. I'll regret never seeing a launch but it's a bitter/sweet farewell.

[Ebesly]

the is best launch of Atlantis, i like this.

[Bren1710]

Not sure if it's important but at around 2:48 in the vid an orange artifact (streek) fleetingly appears to fall along the lower starboard side of Atlantis,...probably nothing to worry about but I thought I'd speak up, just in case! Great launch guys, so sad this is the final flight.

[MusicalFan1701]

@Bren1710 That was the ignition of the OMS engines.

[shuttleluis]

the roll to heads up position was held backwards than usual

[rafer666]

Hey, you left camera on the tank!

[PeterTrerotola]

how could someone dislike this?

[isra036]

Loved the launch! I saw it from Titusville! :D

[SuperTennis3]

Now that we've thrown away the space shuttle how are we gonna get back up there? Wait for Obama to shrink NASA's budget down to the point where they can't even pay the guy who sweeps the floor!?

[TheMrTantalum]

@SuperTennis3 Russian Soyuz rockets launched from Kazakhstan. NASA is turning its efforts to deeper space exploration.

[SuperTennis3]

@TheMrTantalum I'm crying here! We gave it our all to beat the Russians in the late 50s and 60s, and now we are dependent on them to get into low earth orbit! Thats not all, what happens when Communist China gets into the picture? We will have nukes flying directly above our heads!

[richie8811]

@SuperTennis3 idiot. you don't need nukes flying above your heads to pose a threat. ground-based ICBMs are just as dangerous, and Russia, nevermind China, still has thousands of them,

[Fatrunner92]

I tell you who to really blame Blame NASA for getting rid of the Saturn V for this piece of space junk. Objectively ever thing the shuttle has don could have been done by the Saturn V safer and cheaper.

[zippy476]

It is time for a new direction and new goals that will inspire the next generation.

[KevintheJoker]

21 are former soviet union astronauts

[osbert]

it's so... beautiful.

[Netanel17]

This is why I love the USA, carrying humanity into space :)

[usmctate]

i was there

[haileytwiheart17]

Is it weird that this makes me kinda sad?

[j4cko56]

@haileytwiheart17 no....not at all...

[FrostbitexP]

@haileytwiheart17

...yes...

[haileytwiheart17]

People agree with me! yay i'm not the only one :)

[AlexanderRex2]

@haileytwiheart17 Not at all. These guys are trained professionals, but I can't help but think their hearts sunk a little bit as it lifted off the pad. Mine did. Thanks for the memories, NASA.

[MRRWJ2]

@haileytwiheart17

No, workers at NASA made a "no crying policy" for the day. The workers broke the rule. :3

Reference from NBC 4 Special report.

[tool0414]

I was there. It was amazing.

[usmctate]

@tool0414 it was

[Sammyv17]

Last space shuttle mission because we have a new form of space travel? Please?

[Sammyv17]

3:20 The call from Capcom.

[haju53]

AND the Starscream comes out and shoot down tht damn optimus primE!!!

[frozenhell98]

I watched this from across the Causeway.

[Thunderyend]

No matter how many times I listen to it, the narrator always seems to be saying "...solid rocket booster steering chickens work."

Chickens can't even fly for shit! How do their little wings steer a giant rocket!?