The crew of STS-135, from left, Doug Hurley, Chris Ferguson, Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim walk between buildings at the Johnson Space Center after a simulation in the motion based simulator on Friday, May 6, 2011, in Houston. ( NASA Photo / Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool ). STS_135_MB

The Space Shuttle program was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011, administered by NASA and officially beginning in 1972. The Space Shuttle system—composed of an orbiter launched with two reusable solid rocket boosters and a disposable external fuel tank— carried up to eight astronauts and up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and lands as a glider. Although the concept had been explored since the late 1960s, the program formally commenced in 1972 and was the focus of NASA's manned operations after the final Apollo and Skylab flights in the mid-1970s. It started with the launch of the first shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, on STS-1. and finished with its last mission, STS-135 flown by Atlantis, in July 2011.

• Ferguson left hi-res stock photography and images - Page 4 - Alamy
• Doug johnson hi-res stock photography and images - Page 4 - Alamy
• Sandy magnus Stock Photos and Images - Alamy
• Simulator johnson hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy
• Shuttle mission simulator Stock Photos and Images - Alamy
• STS-135 Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus Stock Photo - Alamy
• Nasa training pool hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy
• Basado en houston fotografías e imágenes de alta resolución - Alamy
• Sandy johnson fotografías e imágenes de alta resolución - Página 3
• Simulación de atlantis fotografías e imágenes de alta resolución