'Mission complete, Houston'

Space shuttle Atlantis has landed back on Earth, bringing to a close America's 30-year orbiter programme

Space shuttle Atlantis has landed back on Earth, bringing to a close America's 30-year orbiter programme.

The vehicle swept into the Kennedy Space Center, its wheels touching the runway just before sunrise. The shuttle will now go on display as a museum piece.


Space shuttle Atlantis crew members at Florida space centre after landing

After three decades of sending shuttles into orbit around Earth, NASA has retired them to focus on building new ships that can travel farther into space.

The Commander of the Atlantis crew, Chris Ferguson, said he never expected to make the flight.

He said, "The space shuttle changed the way we view the world and it changed the way we view the Universe."

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