Photo Feature: NASA’s Space Shuttle

Photo Credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla — SpaceFlight Insider representatives covered the end of the space shuttle era, which drew to a close in 2011. Sadly, some of the most stunning images captured of the shuttle fleet during its 30 years of service – occurred at the very end of the program. Seeing some of these images raised the idea of a series, highlighting the stunning imagery from various launch vehicles. The first of these will be of the iconic orbiters and related program elements.

NASA’s fleet of orbiters traveled the orbital byways above our atmosphere for three decades. They delivered payloads as diverse as probes to other planets, most of the components of the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope as well as several dedicated missions for the Department of Defense. This feature is being posted to provide a small fraction of the images that highlight the spacecraft’s history.

Image Credit: Lloyd Behrendt / Blue Sawtooth Studio

Space Shuttle Discovery. Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: James N. Brown

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: James N. Brown

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

Space Shuttle Atlantis launches from Launch Complex 39A on STS-135 in 2011. Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

Shuttle Endeavour leaves Kennedy Space Center for the last time. Photo Credit: Mike Howard / SpaceFlight Insider

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: NASA

Photo Credit: NASA

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Tagged: NASA Space Shuttle

Jason Rhian

Jason Rhian spent several years honing his skills with internships at NASA, the National Space Society and other organizations. He has provided content for outlets such as: Aviation Week & Space Technology, Space.com, The Mars Society and Universe Today.