7 Photos Show Iconic NASA Space Shuttle Moments, a Decade Since Last Flight

 

On July 21, 2011, space shuttle Atlantis landed for the final time at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, marking the last time a space shuttle would ever touch down again

The space shuttle program made use of five separate spacecraft throughout its lifetime, which were humanity's first reusable ones. They launched like a rocket, but landed like a gliding airplane.

The program's final flight concluded three decades of record-setting spaceflight achievements. Its milestones are numerous, and it launched technology into space that was cutting edge at the time and still serves the scientific community today.

Below are some photos documenting key achievements of the program from its earliest missions to its last.