Satellite News

NASA's space shuttle fleet began setting records with its first launch on April 12, 1981 and continues to set high marks of achievement and endurance. Starting with Columbia and continuing with Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour, the spacecraft has carried people into orbit repeatedly, launched, recovered and repaired satellites, conducted cutting-edge research and built the largest structure in space, the International Space Station.

As humanity's first reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle pushed the bounds of discovery ever farther, requiring not only advanced technologies but the tremendous effort of a vast workforce. Thousands of civil servants and contractors throughout NASA's field centers and across the nation have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to mission success and the greater goal of space exploration.

On this page, you'll find a collection of feature stories and videos documenting space shuttle operations. You'll also receive an insider's perspective of what it takes to maintain and fly this technological marvel.

Spacewalkers Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew completed a six-hour, 14-minute spacewalk at 4:56 p.m. EST.

This was the final STS-133 spacewalk, the 244th by U.S. astronauts. It was the seventh for Bowen totaling 47 hours, 18 minutes and places him sixth on the all-time list. It was the second spacewalk for Drew, totaling 12 hours, 48 minutes. It was the 155th spacewalk in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance, totaling 973 hours, 53 minutes, equal to 40 full days of spacewalks.