Final Mission of Nasa

Today marks the start of the final mission for NASA's space shuttle program. Watch this historic moment as Atlantis lifts off for the last time.

It was joy and relief," Thirsk said. "And privilege, because it was the last shuttle launch and it is the end of an era. I was part of it.

It is the final shuttle takeoff after the program was cancelled last year in favour of focusing on deep-space missions.

Private companies, such as SpaceX, Boeing and Sierra Nevada will likely compete to become the first to build a nextgeneration space capsule that could take astronauts and their equipment to the International Space Station.
5:16 PM 7/9/2011