The Space Shuttle Atlantis blasts off for the last time on Friday, leaving the launch pad at Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida and heading for the International Space Station (ISS). It will be a special farewell. The shuttle, which is carrying parts for the ISS’s Dutch-manufactured robot arm, will be welcomed by both the ISS and the Russian space capsule Progress. All three are currently visible in the night sky.
 
Since 1981, the space shuttle has been the showpiece for the United States’ space agency NASA. The shuttle has not only maintained a regular ferry service to and from the ISS but has also served as a patrol vehicle for hardware such as the Hubble Space Telescope and damaged satellites. NASA has built a total of five space shuttles, two of which – the Challenger and the Columbia - were destroyed in accidents.
 
Special encounter
The journey on which the Atlantis embarks on Friday will be its last to the ISS. Its arrival will coincide with that of the Russian spacecraft Progress 36. On a clear night, it will be possible to make out all three as floating dots in the sky, the ISS dwarfing its two companion craft. With a bit of luck, they can be seen with the naked eye, though a pair of binoculars or a simple telescope will definitely improve the experience.
 
If you’d like to know whether you can see the link-up from where you are, check the Heavens Above website. Or, if you use Twitter, go to @twisst for daily updates on when the ISS will pass over your house.
 
Dutch robot arm
In addition to six crew members and a Russian research module, the Atlantis is also carrying spare parts for the space station’s new robot arm. The European Robotic Arm (ERA) has been developed by Netherlands-based aerospace company Dutch Space. ERA is one of the most ambitious projects in the history of the Netherlands’ involvement in space travel.
 
Under the leadership of Dutch Space, companies from eight European countries collaborated on the robot arm, which will be launched in 2012. The 11-metre-long arm can be operated remotely from within the space station, or left to perform a number of tasks automatically or semi-automatically. This is good news for the astronauts, as it reduces the number of space walks they have to make, with all the attendant dangers.
 
End of an era
Once Atlantis has completed its flight, the end of the shuttle era will be at hand. In September, the Discovery will make its final flight, while the Endeavour’s last flight in November will close the book on the space shuttle project for good. The spacecraft will take pride of place in the Smithsonian Institution’s NASA museum in Washington DC.
 
The US is bringing the shuttle project to an end so it can devote its efforts to such groundbreaking undertakings as manned flights to Mars. The “ferry service” carried out by the shuttle will be taken over by the latest version of the Russian Soyuz rocket. Just as reliable, but considerably less spectacular.
 
Further reading
Dutch Space: European Robotic Arm (ERA)
ESA: European Robotic Arm (ERA)
Mission information: Atlantis (STS-132)
Mission information: Discovery (STS-133)
Mission information: Endeavour (STS-134)
 
Where and when
The launch of the shuttle Atlantis is planned for 02:20 EDT. Use the TimeZone Converter to convert this to your local time.