On July 8 the Atlantis orbiter is scheduled to launch on the final mission of the space shuttle program. The program has spanned nearly 40 years, as well as eight presidential administrations. Here is a look at some of the space shuttle's defining moments through the years.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)
Ryan Reid is Scientific American’s digital art director.
John Matson is a former reporter and editor for Scientific American who has written extensively about astronomy and physics. Follow John Matson on Twitter
