Final space shuttle mission lands

The space shuttle Atlantis has landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, bringing an end to NASA's 30-year shuttle programme.

Atlantis touched down before dawn on 21 July, after a 13-day mission to the International Space Station. Crowds cheered as the orbiter came to a stop for the last time.

The last mission

The four astronauts on board delivered supplies and equipment to the space station, enough to keep it running for a year. They also brought back a faulty pump to be studied on Earth.

The commander, Chris Ferguson, said after landing that the shuttle had changed the way we view the world and the universe.

Thirty years in space

The shuttle was the world's first reusable spacecraft. The first flight, by Columbia, took place in April 1981. Over 135 missions, the five shuttles carried hundreds of astronauts into orbit, launched satellites and space probes, and built the International Space Station.

Among the shuttle's greatest achievements was the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990, and the missions to repair and upgrade it, which have helped make it one of the most successful scientific instruments ever built.

Two disasters

The programme was marked by two tragedies. In January 1986, Challenger broke apart shortly after launch, killing seven astronauts. In February 2003, Columbia disintegrated as it returned to Earth, killing another seven.

After the Columbia disaster, it was decided that the shuttle fleet would be retired once the space station was complete.

What next?

With the shuttle retired, the United States has no way of launching its own astronauts into space. American astronauts will travel to the space station on Russian Soyuz spacecraft until new vehicles are ready.

NASA is encouraging private companies to develop spacecraft to carry cargo and crews to the space station, and is working on a new rocket for missions beyond Earth orbit.

Job losses

The end of the programme means thousands of job losses at the Kennedy Space Center and among contractors.

Museum pieces

The surviving shuttles will go on display at museums. Atlantis will stay at the Kennedy Space Center visitor complex, Discovery will go to the Smithsonian near Washington, and Endeavour will go to Los Angeles.