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NE WS NASA p r e s e n t e d b y Science a-z a d i v i s i o n o f L e a r n i n g A - Z © iStockphoto.com Milorad Zaric Science in the Space Shuttle Program Ending By Ron Fridell Endeavour will be in space for 14 days before it returns to Florida. The ship will deliver important supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is a science lab that orbits 354 km (220 mi.) above Earth. NASA On April 19, 2011, after 30 years of flights, the space shuttle program is ending. NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour will fly into space with six astronauts on board. The ship has flown 24 missions. This one will be its last. Endeavour’s last flight crew (left to right): Gregory H. Johnson, Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Mark Kelly, Andrew Feustel, Roberto Vittori Tom Farrar/NASA NASA This mission will be space shuttle flight number 134. It may also be the final shuttle flight. There are two other ships. Discovery has already made its final flight. The other, Atlantis, may make one last flight this summer. The International Space Station People often give ships names related to adventure: • Endeavour—a bold act • Discovery —an exciting new find or invention • Atlantis—a make-believe island nation that sank due to an earthquake What adventurous name would you give a spaceship? © Learning A–Z All rights reserved. 1 The shuttle program began in 1981. It is ending in 2011 because the ships cost too much to take care of. But NASA plans to keep the program going in a different way by giving money to private companies that want to build new shuttles. Someday those shuttles may carry astronauts and even visitors into space. www.sciencea-z.com Science in the News NASA/JPL/USGS Continued from page 1 Astronomy Matching F ly ing into History A. astronauts B. Earth C. the space shuttle program D. the planet Venus E. International Space Station Space shuttles have done amazing things in 30 years. In 1989, Atlantis took a robotic space probe up into space. It flew to Venus and took pictures of the planet’s surface, which led to the first good map of Venus. 1. The letters in my name stand for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. What am I? ____ 2. I’m a science lab that orbits Earth. What’s my name? ____ 3. We are the people who fly space shuttles. Who are we? ____ Venus In 1990, Discovery put the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. It sent back amazing pictures from deep in space. On December 4, 1998, the crew of Endeavour began building the ISS. These are just a few of the shuttle program’s highlights. 4. I orbit the Sun between Mercury and Earth. What am I? ____ 5. I am the third planet from the Sun. What am I? ____ 6. Without me, you would be floating around in the air. What am I? ____ 7. I am the area between Earth and other planets. What am I? ____ Hubble 9. I’m named for a make-believe island that sank into the ocean. What am I? ____ 10. I have lasted 30 years. What am I? ____ Write About This! Why do astronauts float around? Space has no gravity to hold them down. Imagine that one day you woke up and there was no gravity. Write a short story, poem, or newspaper article about what your day would be like. 1. H; 2. E; 3. A; 4. D; 5. B; 6. G; 7. I; 8. F; 9. J; 10. C © Learning A–Z All rights reserved. 2 www.sciencea-z.com © Jupiterimages Corporation 8. My name means an exciting new find. What am I? ____ NASA/STScI NASA/ESA/the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)/and A. Aloisi (STScI/ESA) F. Discovery G. gravity H. NASA I. outer space J. space shuttle Atlantis