I'm a program
go gone away okay today
america's last space shuttle makes its final flight
this is the last the last the bull and we have one last chance to see her
through the eyes of those who know her best
it's not going to be easy for everybody has to walk out here 6
by force an exclusive inside look
at the end a venir we have you
a time for reflection in the human spirit to explore
commercials loudest do
it's an amazing feat of engineering and a celebration of the crap that has shown
our planet
and our universe in ways barely imagine thirty years ago
he will do something like that
I'm way
files may contain blood like you're having a bad that
today a remarkable hereof exploration comes to an end
after Atlantis takes to the air
there will be no more space shuttle
someday mankind may build a better crap for bringing humans in car go back and
forth to space
but that's a concern for another time today
nasa's job is to keep atlantis and her crew
say in the final hours before the last launch
by
the countdown begins over a year and atlantis needs a complete overhaul
every inch must be inspected and repair
2000 technicians check
over two million parts and systems they know what's at stake one small flaw
not spotted by the engineers will mean one giant catastrophe
for the astronauts will ride millions of pounds of explosive fuel
into space Ferguson Hurley
Magnus and waldheim will be the last crew to fly the shuttle
the
they follow in the footsteps of sum up the bravest most intrepid explorers to
lever
cool
we really did the do some fantastic things with the people
I was pick to go fly I'll
missionary work rescue a satellite for the first time and go out and I
and repair that while I was on orbit home
nasa's fleet of five shuttles not only parried astronauts and supplies to the
space station
but launched experiments that would change our understanding
up the cards
we started to astronomy missions to
to Jupiter to beaners then we started doing the telescope's
the public was the first grade observed before we put up
supple telescope control ring bell
go the we're gonna be a bit late okay nearly
and how many times we flew into hubbell for five times
to Service Repair takes
replaced upgrade of
upon Tyne and Wear nor your by beauty rest
telescopes released okay thank you and
what magnificent and wonders pictures we have gotten
from hubbell the
birth the stars the death of stars the formation of galaxies
home fundamentally the beginnings in the univers
well hype
the space shuttle has brought the final frontier closer
ok
you were doing what the vehicle was designed to do little
on bed
is there Jerry she enjoined the shuttle team
as a junior engineer in 1973
where going you
olympia being one picture
now he's responsible for ensuring
atlantis is fit to fly that's the front and
a a Space Shuttle Orbiter it's about the size of a 737
airplane its a major airplane it's very difficult to see
because they're so many access platforms that we have around it so that we can
inspect everything they're sure everything is ready for flight
your
the special vehicle is three major part
the backbone the core of the shuttle his the external tank
to solid rocket boosters the white boosters on either side
thing and then the orbiter attached to the
topple the space shuttle's magic is a magnitude up
like taking a 737 tipping it on its side
trapping in half a million gallons a rock appeal to it and in launching into
space
Chris Ferguson will be the last shuttle commander
he and his crew are all veteran astronauts
welcome upper welcome the flight deck it set up
like a commercial airliner although it's anything but a regular player
course on the last time so we could delta wing glider the wage 230,000
pounds but
but it does fly like a regular plan of course we have a controls day
we really don't fly it manually for very long maybe for just a couple minutes
on people
the shuttles are built for brand gold
to create a permanent human presence in space
up to take a first step on the road to other planets
the but like any exploration of the unknown
it's dangerous going two out of five space shuttles have been lost in action
most recently in 2003 STS 107
the year the mission that we lost Columbia on om
started out or a on
there and to the wedding large
chill couple came off the external tank and
smacked into leading-edge for the left and we
and the program
decided dead it really wasn't necessary to utilize
spy cameras to see if we could see anything
on the leading edge so we continue the mission
our stand-out
at the Shuttle Landing Facility waiting for to come home and and we have a clock
out there
and the clock ticks down to zero in the orbiter should be landing
and I'll never forget it but the clock ticked down to zero
economy wasn't there and
so close we were somewhere between orbit and the kennedy space
we didn't know where on
I received a call from my when my daughters who were works in Houston
training astronauts have low spatial
and she said that he we've lost contact
got worked up
really works
there's heavy grief in our hearts which will diminish with time
but it will never go away we will never forget
pale red
willie Casey
Mike Laurel Dave
and I am pale Columbia
on
the entire shuttle program is put on hold until the loss at the Columbia
is fully investigated 0
as today's countdown continues the crew of atlantis like
every crew before them knows the risks but there be no shortage of volunteers
to take their place
on the shuttle's last launch into space on
with the launch still months away
atlantis's engineering team is installing wanna many camps
I girl
these will help the crew to check the orbiter for any damage before it returns
from space
on the Columbia tragedy
is at the forefront up everyone's minds I'm
back in 2003 just hours after the loss of Columbia
nasa launches an investigation assembled
my team that they would go out there that night to set up a recovery
when I was a surreal day up
an orbiter weighs about 230,000 pounds
we got back eighty three thousand pounds I'm
rest up has just gone up
had had either completely vaporized during reentry word
at the bottom of a lake so we got back about
third Columbia played out shapely worker
where now temprano ahora physical 3d reconstruction on the left hand leading
edges
is way failure first her
bottom number eight right here we did
test firing pieces a phone at the orbiter wing
and I frankly was shocked
WAP or in
I was shocked that it Marco hola I thought for sure
would crack it but I'm I would have lost a million dollar bit with your money
it was absolutely amazing there was no doubt
at what happened at that point no doubt it'll could go
on the hole in Columbia's wing
allows heat to penetrate the craft during reentry
in diverts atmosphere on it rips the vehicle apart
the space shuttle may be the most incredible flying machine
ever built but the suspicion that it is fatally flawed
takes hold we believe that another vehicle
either a compliment or replacement is if
very very high priority since Columbia
there have been 19 successful missions and now the countdown is on for the
final launch at the very last shot for the four-person crew
it's the last chance to practice what they've trained to be astronauts
than a decade the shuttle sorta
are our house we sleep down here we eat down here we store things down here
where you can see here we have all the
comforts of home so to speak privacy curtain places to put your tiles
you do all your hygiene here member in space we don't take showers we just
kinda do sponge baths by Park and I'll leave the rest to your imagination
while the astronauts prepare for their part in the mission
thousands of other specialists artwork around the country I'm
'em
welcome
in louisiana they're building the shuttle's fuel tank
home
this is the largest single component up the space shuttle
the fuel tank inspector Kirk drum
has worked here for sixteen years this will be the last tank to go into space
people just think it's a big Marseille when I first came here I thought of it
as a try
thermos bottle but I it's a lot more than that this is actually oMG baby I
hate to say but it's it's a giant Bomb
the Croke Park is the liquid oxygen
this part right here is the hydrogen tank liquid hydrogen
and the tour combined inside the shuttle can create the explosion which then with
thing into space
during lunch 700 tonnes a liquid fuel will catch fire
and King this tank in less than 8 and a Half Men
right now our way
and were doing the last readings so this is the last of the last the palance
goes as at the end of this month the system church now we all
anymore do we all bow Cross St we get laid off and
that's it I know that a lot of time and effort was put into putting this
together
and of course you know
I'm gonna be able to sleep in late now but it I'm gonna miss it
known for its it's been a big part of my life
thank you all all your efforts and all your work
here's to you on wall
wat words journey to Cape Canaveral
they load the fuel tank into a specially protected bar
the slightest great now could jeopardize the launch
the man in charge
is Joe chap who started working for nasa in 1985
you know this is this is the end for a lot of people are a lot of hard work a
lot of people are
teary eyes CNN their career tired Joe's delivered over forty of these behemoths
you can see it's a pretty tight fit the marge was
specifically constructed just protect
the single external tank these guys put a row between the lines
everything is good and then other secured in place
so no matter how the barge works the
transporter will be intrinsic with the whole let's
let's put it right here after that secured will verify everything
and then we'll go ahead and sign for responsibility
thank you very much thank you everything
thank you very much
the fuel tank sets of
on its last voyage across the Gulf of Mexico
it takes six days to round the Florida peninsula
and reach the kennedy space
the fuel tank will supply fuel to three engines inside the orbiter
on the last engines to be installed for the last flight
is the last time that we get to do the things that we do well
everything else after this is just gonna be like put tools away
Mike Cosgrove has been with the shuttle engines team for 25 years
he knows every detail of this sophisticated system
shuttle engine is the most complex
component on the entire shuttle system has the highest number
hatteras compounds these engines must accelerate atlantis to a speed of 17,000
miles per hour
to reach orbit yes everybody played well
in
comp
when the propellants combined knighted in the main combustion chamber and then
following up the nozzle the gas is continuously expanding
the shape for the the nozzle controls that expansion and finals it
in one direction left what creates are priced around 500,000
house trust
has to work right we have to install it correctly success the mission of lives
the astronauts
are at risk area if it's not done correctly
them
the countdown to launch continues
workers are now inspecting over 24,000 tiles that will protect space shuttle
Atlantis
from the tremendous heat abrasion when she we enters the Earth's atmosphere
do every shuttle mission is risky but this one comes with the added pressure
up being the final one
the tiles have caused trouble since the very beginning when pilot Bob Crippen
flew the first space shuttle mission
in 1981 we knew there was a risk but we thought we prepared them
to be able to handle it than pretty good
along yet inside upper six seconds
part lift-off that slim main engines or
one of
so the engines up and running on church my instruments
so that part's good no
do that success comes to make sure that the engines are up and running properly
the bball those swing because the thrust from the engines and when it comes back
bergalis when it's time to
impact assault on banging
get this big kick in the pants on
on
we got the doors open I'll look back career in the vehicle
there was obviously some tiles missing
there weren't that many young maybe a couple dozen I think ground was pretty
concerned at that particular point we would Lawson piles of the year
of the base in the vehicle but the there's no way of telling them
there is anything you can do about it so the word
when traveling at five miles per second during reentry
the exposed surfaces official can reach temperatures hot enough to melt steel
the lol colombia is unfair
yuri have
there and we couldn't agree more non
your name and room
track
there's relief all round when the for shuttle lands see
but a 134 missions later
the danger posed by looser faulty installation still haunts the program
every inch of Atlantis is heat shield is check
and checked again before her final all
one chink in the armor can mean disaster me
the whole external
heart the shuttle this covered with some type of thermal protection
all during reentry
we're seeing temperatures up twenty six hundred degrees here's our RCC nose cone
are were the hardest part on the orbiter this is the third blake et material
McGuirk material this is the leading edge
the wing Mike if you could pull off a number six
that's a reinforced carbon-carbon very expensive high temperatures
very very durable all of our systems hydraulic
fuels computers we all have backup system with a thermal protection
at one time if we lost one we have a burn through
the could be a very bad day
with launch day now just three months away they are ready to assemble
atlantis's solid rocket boosters
like giant fireworks
these rockets are packed with an explosive propellant that ignites at
launch to thrust the shuttle of the pack
the Rockets are built in Utah
and transported in sections the kennedys Vehicle Assembly Building
known by insiders as the be a beam
all right we got a group crane cruel less com
actually far the most love up me
left the big posters into this time
Rodney Wilson has been a solid rocket booster technician
for 23 years he knows each section must be handled with extreme caution
the inside of this case
you have solid propel gotta be careful
once you light the night is
days send a big spark to to send out the whole
want to light is no way attorney you
song but an right here
is where you see a holdout polls this is one of the corners where
and actually sittin dress that's what holes this whole entire
stack up all the way up the way
out there external tank the shuttle and expose itself
it's a Strongbow a join the launch time
countdown actually send a signal and explodes the boat and split it in half
and they all blog same time the
the
lebed the solid rocket boosters help live the four-and-a-half million pounds
shuttle of the
on
two minutes later the Rockets are jealous
you
to clear day we'll see the orbiter and the external tank continue
and then you'll see both s Arby's a separate tumble
and then fall right into the to the ocean during each launch
Joe chap its team weigh 240 miles offshore to retrieve the boosters for
reuse
the biggest reason for us there at that point
is to make sure that there are no vessels in the immediate area
up this by standpoint but when you explain too many
passing vessel that there's a 8010 racket with
explosives coming down in their immediate vicinity generally they get
their attention until
bill change course and be very amiable
about it right next to the right here
Karina and as both SRB sry enter
there's a double sonic boom the first time you hear it it's pretty impressive
you're not going to sleep through it
car I
when the Rockets land there vertical
they trapped here
it similar to take I about that you take a a glass jug
minutes BNP you turned upside down putting the warning track here
that how the move welcome
you can't own vertically we tried that once
and realize that was impossible them
we have to get the Rockets in the horse all okay today
were of course for of and brought my job to direct them
Nabil think and I kinda have a bird's eye view Ridge level down
we have to
deploy divers and then the people and burying
the water comes out and a backseat brings it up to the surface
we connector tell and bring it home
one day in 1986
the Boosters take off but do not come back
boom
on it seemed like after it occurred
it is lingered sky for him
of
while the countdown continues at Cape Canaveral the marine operations team
delivers to rocket boosters recovered from the Atlantic
they perfected this procedure over 30 years
and a 134 successful launch
but on a cold winter day in 1986 the booster failed I've been
on the ocean sets out five or six years old and
I a bit this a bad weather you know that the cold front that preceded
the Challenger launch we had winds up box 65 not
for two days got so bad that we can internships reading the state bound to
the wave
camera command so are
the 28th January I think in the morning they launch
although it was a terrible cold day I don't particularly remember that
I was standing outside with a bunch of coworkers
and watched the countdown and
the engine start lift-off three shuttle mission managers power
them
counter no problem
no then boom could go into 329 100 percent
I saw what happened and I thought oh well
will just the orbital just pull outta there and
flyback gonna return points i'd aborn
and that's not what happened
I'm
in like it or if you're looking very carefully at
situation obviously a major malfunction
we have no downtime way
achieved pieces fall down
you know through the atmosphere botched pieces
hipster hit the ocean surface from long range cameras here on sign
scientists investigating the challenger disaster
analyzed every available scrap of evidence including film from nearly 200
camp within this
beautiful machine a good work so well what the heck world
the cause of the accident is traced to a joint failure in the right rocket
booster
a design flaw resulting in seven deaths
like losin' some your family I think everybody out here and tell you that
and that's why I that's why every large not pressure every launches a
double finger cross double prayer double whatever you need to do
get them buried near keep it safe for now up
its easy to appreciate why the shuttle workforce takes their job so seriously
up
the astronauts' lives are in their hands environment you going into
is so hostile that if the vehicle isn't perfect
you're not going to come home the charts checklists and spreadsheets
are as vital as the bolts and insulation up
once the stacker work paper gets to orbital altitude
your vehicles ready to fly there's now just 11 weeks before it slammed his lips
of
before the orbiter is ready for rollout engineers must close the spacecraft
cargo bay doors
they are extremely fragile
if they twist or jam the astronauts may not be able to open the doors in space
putting the entire mission in jeopardy
got the real-life don't want designed to be open in our regular gravity
you can't ignore them open up with the prime this stupid
delivered
so the way we actually open the door use conaway cynicism
police unblock allowed loaded or chrome
very gentle very smooth ok
atlantis's cargo bay is the size of a bus
it will soon be packed book
posts were the last shuttle going to be the heaviest cargo module
you never flown guys are gonna cram everything they can be your last chance
to get all the heavy stuff up
this will be the shuttle's last delivery to the space station
on board will be twenty five thousand pounds of food
water and spare parts that's how it's gonna go away
it will be years before anything big or heavy can be carried their
again it was the shuttle that carried most at the International Space
Station's 14 modules into orbit
this is the largest man-made
object in the sky its permanently manned by crew's drawn from all over the world
for launch director Mike Leinbach
this is the shuttle's greatest achieve space station is
its packs a minute its terrific coming I remember was first proposed the
following
wat lot of people doubted we could pull off and to see it work on orbit is just
Thomas Thomas surreal
thing that comes to mind always stock to me
look at the Cruzan Mande languages cultures in
food at the and his true International Space Station
at it wonderful to see
now if rancher client in the station with their vehicle
the Japanese are flying in the station with their vehicle course the russians
are flying to the station when their vehicle
and we're gonna do it one more time
atlantis is now ready to be attached to her boosters and fuel tank
so she can begin her final journey to the launch
after year work atlantis is leaving the orbiter processing facility
for the final stage assembling the space shuttle am
it's an emotional moment for everyone its atlantis
is my vehicle
this is our pay off when you it to come out in it
you doubt the open like this this is your reward this was all about
it it can still look a little bit rough around some the edges
that's just the normal fair wear and tear on a reusable spacecraft
it's a it still looks beautiful
22 pieces
we did we did years
to be the rebels chickens and work
people for their entire lives with me religion I had one thing in the world
you get new spirit
third
you for our past the simulation file for two hours desired
them
all these people that you see out here all these people work at the San
they all take part processing units over they may not be turning its Koo they may
not be doing it and they may not be an engineer
but there is important and that engine and all the people from big profit paper
that gets a fair that allows us to launch the meet all the requirements
and that's what they're here for the hit 20 see the last one
100 and that important everyone
great feeling something that you have a good
home
this is the moment when the
orbiter will be attached to its fuel tanks and boosters
turning it into the most powerful space rocket on earth
in her final salute atlantis rises
a hundred feet into the air it's a dramatic sight
they'll never forget
them
'em show up in the oval
opposition and I see yeah 175 time frame with head
on the air in the world with his get ready to be up
disconnect from the field well they just called
the the connected worker so one praying that this whole lotta fun mail the form
got a little they'll probably a show stabilizer mailing it doesn't take much
to
shuttle move around
ginger
here up girls
the billion-dollar spacecraft hangs from a single crane
like a toy spaceship
they gently nature into position yeah
workers lower belfry about twelve people up but what the caller and stuff about
it were
468 a plan
there her while dollars
ok
never day
balancing on its gigantic mobile launch platform
the shuttle is ready to roll this is the last time a space shuttle will make the
three-mile trip
for the launch pad
I was here for the very first show ever allowed and everyone
sense
the
case so much like watchin year kid
go off to college they're on their own
finally and their they're on their way to
meet their destiny and you hope you've done everything that you
needed but there's always that little bit down
mine that's exactly the way I felt when I saw the kids drive down
street for the last time
in
tomorrow is the moment of truth launch day
for Atlantis up
america's shuttle program is ready for its final flight
corps commander Chris Ferguson and his crew
the training is over of this is it
in just four hours they will blast space
on board atlantis when the clock hit zero
all the responsibility comes down to one man
launch director mic/line bikes team meticulously monitors
system as it comes online much I was to me
almost launch your criteria and that's why 2000 parameters
had Rights Watch mic stands above it all
his senses finely tuned to the slightest anomalous if he sees anything
he calls of the launch we're monitoring
day to offer their vehicle he gets
so pants there's time for considering the historical
significance of what you're done but it's not during a countdown can't keep
your eyes everything
me that final gotcha and to say yes parade
commit desires scribbled
those whose lives have been shaped by the Space Shuttle come to pay
see Atlantis take sky one last time get a chance to see the astronauts classroom
I'm proud to those folks though I really am
I can only imagine what the astronauts are going through after waiting for so
long
must be awesome he said out there god help us
get on up
for the entity conducting a long that affect go for a walk
a pause in the countdown unable each had the support teams
give its go for launch PPP PPP's go
LPS this final flight as the culmination up thirty years of nasa's shuttle
program here
this will be the last time nasa launches astronauts into space
for many years to come Atlanta Hawks director bomber have a
greatest fame in the world are good luck to you and your crew on a
on acquired true American icon thanks to record on the bike
for the ride what a great thing I could do it there
about 30 today by quick way to get happy care have a former
with the thinking the heart of gold have a while called for backup or
have really quarter call one more time I can through our
Ave go for main engine start
diminished 10 9 K
K
and morning
there when live
it's been incredible for the program see the last
cutting-edge you
will be something else long
way and have been better but it's going to be hard to pass something like this
sitting on the ground 0 miles an hour
within eight minutes it's going five miles a second
the the space shuttle is an incredible mission.
it's not going to be easy for everybody has to walk out here
gonna take the memories with them for long do we put seven people
and the space station in space
by taking my granddaughter all sizes pop up with that up there
the shuttle is not about hardware proponents
it's really about people 'em people make it happen
it's in the human spirit to explore
go that next step go the extra mile go the next destination shuttles loudest
you
we will continue to test our engine new
pushing the boundaries space to with the shuttle program
will always have its rightful place in history