Space Shuttle: The Last Blast

Timeline: 30 years of history

Apr 1981
First shuttle mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida
Jun 1983
Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space with the first launch of the Challenger shuttle
Aug 1983
Space shuttle Challenger's first night launch makes Guion Bluford the first African-American in Space.
Feb 1984
Challenger crew were first astronauts to perform an untethered space walk lasting nearly six hours
Oct 1985
The Atlantis, the last built space shuttle, launched it's maiden voyage
Jan 1986
Our nation lost seven heroes as the Challenger Space Shuttle was destroyed shortly after launch
Apr 1990
A Discovery mission launched the Hubble Space Telescope
Sep 1992
Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman in space with the Endeavor space shuttle
Feb 1995
Eileen Collins became the first woman pilot, flying the Discovery space shuttle
Oct 1998
John Glenn boarded the space shuttle Discovery and became the oldest person ever to fly in space
Feb 2003
Space shuttle Columbia destroyed on re-entry during landing
Jul 2006
Astronaut Stephanie Wilson embarked on the space shuttle Discovery to become the second African-American woman to travel in space
Oct 2007
The space shuttle Discovery launched on a mission to the International Space Staion bringing a new module to expand living space
Mar 2008
Space shuttle Endeavor embarked on NASA's longest space shuttle trip ever to take components to the International Space Station
Feb 2011
Discovery blasted off on its final voyage
May 2011
Mark Kelly commanded space shuttle Endeavor on its final mission
Jul 2011
Space shuttle Atlantis is set to liftoff on the final flight of the shuttle program
Top Story
More video

National Headlines

Shuttle Videos

Slideshows
More

Interactives

More

NASA's Kids Club

More

NASA Missions

More

Connect with NASA

More