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STS-121

Launched: July 4, 2006, 2:37:55 p.m. EDT

Landing: July 17, 2006, 9:15:49 a.m. EDT, Kennedy Space Center, Fla

Space Shuttle: Discovery.

Crew: Commander Steven W. Lindsey, Pilot Mark E. Kelly, Mission Specialists Stephanie D. Wilson, Michael E. Fossum, Piers J. Sellers, Thomas Reiter and Lisa M. Nowak.

 

STS-121 was the second return-to-flight mission, demonstrating techniques for inspecting and protecting the shuttle's thermal protection system and replacing critical hardware needed for future station assembly. The mission also restored the station to a three-person crew for the first time since May 2003, leaving ESA astronaut Reiter aboard to join Expedition 13. This was the most photographed shuttle mission in history, with more than 100 high-definition, digital, video and film cameras documenting the launch and climb to orbit.

 

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Credit: NASA

Image Number: sts121-s-001

Date: June 2005

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Uploaded on July 4, 2016
Taken on July 4, 2006