Putting It All Together

Abstract

As astronauts were preparing to fly a mission, there was feverish activity underway at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to ensure that all the hardware components were checked and ready to go. Teams of dedicated engineers worked hard on a complicated processing system designed to bring together the Orbiter, twin Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank on schedule. In parallel the payload, logistics, experiments, and the personal equipment and supplies of the astronauts, underwent separate and joint tests and checks. In addition, there was the training of the flight control teams and support staff.

STS-135 Closeout Crew’s Farewell Friday, 8 July 2011 03:20:04 PM GMT Before leaving the White Room for what might be the final time, each member of the Closeout Crew held up signs that bore the following message:

On behalf of all who have designed and built, serviced and loaded, launched and controlled, operated and flown these magnificent space vehicles, thank-you for 30 years with our nation’s Space Shuttles! Godspeed Atlantis! God bless America!

And after some final words from Closeout Crew Chief Travis Thompson, the team departed the pad. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Shuttle/Shuttlemissions/sts135/launch/launch_blog.html; also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldlphfRuk1Q (“Shuttle Closeout Crew Says Goodbye”).