The Best of NASA Space Shuttle Videos (1981-2010)

Next year, NASA plans to put an end to its 30 year old space shuttle program. Since 1981, the program has launched five space shuttles (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Endeavor) into orbit, or 132 flights in total. Here, Matt Melis, a NASA engineer, has compiled what he calls the “best of the best, state of the art” video produced by the space shuttle program. And he has stitched it into a 45 minute tribute video, called Ascent, that narrates the anatomy of a space launch, from start to finish. A great visual way to commemorate the space shuttle program, and the people who filmed it… NOTE: The video remains dark for the first nine seconds.

via @eugenephoto