What is the space shuttle launch schedule? Would you like to see a space shuttle launch the next time you are in Florida? Shuttle launches are very exciting, and can be the highlight of a family vacation. Plan fun vacation activities near the launch site or in Orlando along with your plans to see a launch. Then even if the scheduled launch is delayed or cancelled, you will still have a great vacation.

How Many Space Shuttle Launches are Left?

There are now only 5 launches left in the space shuttle launch schedule. Shuttle launches are amazing sights, so plan to get over to Florida if there is any way you can manage it. The current NASA launch schedule has plans for all space shuttle flights to be completed by September, 2010.

This article will tell you when Space Shuttle launches are planned from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Keep in mind that NASA may decide to spread out a few of the remaining flights if they can get Congressional funding. NASA's budget for the existing Space Shuttle program is competing with its budget for the new Constellation program.

In addition, Space Shuttle launches are extremely complicated and if everything is not perfect, the launch may be delayed. Whenever a space shuttle launch is delayed by one day, the time of the next day's launch is usually about 25 minutes earlier.

Make sure you bookmark and recheck this site to see if there are any changes to the space shuttle launch schedule. This is especially true for launches that are several months in the future.

STS-129 was the sixth space shuttle launch before the shuttle program retirement. STS-129 is a mission to the International Space Station on space shuttle Atlantis. Charlie Hobaugh is serving as commander and Barry Wilmore is the pilot. The mission specialist astronauts are Randy Bresnik, Michael Foreman, Leland Melvin, and Robert Satcher. Astronauts Bresnik, Satcher, and Wilmore are flying on their first space shuttle mission.

The STS-129 mission is delivering parts to the space station, including a spare gyroscope. The mission will feature three spacewalks and will return Nicole Stott back to earth after months aboard the International Space Station.

STS-130 will be the fifth launch before space shuttle retirement. STS-130 is a mission to the International Space Station on space shuttle Endeavour. This is scheduled to be a night launch. George Zamka will be Commander and Terry Virts Jr. will serve as the pilot. The mission specialist astronauts are Robert Behnken, Kathryn Hire, Nicholas Patrick, and Stephen Robinson. Terry Virts will be on his first space shuttle mission.

Endeavour will deliver a connecting module called the Tranquility node and a cupola to be used as a control room for robotics. The STS-130 mission will have three spacewalks.

STS-131 is planned to be the fourth mission before space shuttle retirement. STS-131 is a 12 day mission of Space Shuttle Discovery. The commander is Alan Poindexter and the pilot is James Dutton. The mission specialist astronauts are Richard Mastracchio, Clayton Anderson, and Stephanie Wilson. Teacher Dorothy M. Metcalf-Lindenburger and Japanese Space Agency astronaut Naoko Yamazaki will also be members of the crew.

The primary payload is scheduled to be a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module containing instruments to study global climates, land and sea formations and crop weather damage. The mission will also bring a research and exercise system designed to test muscles in space.

STS-132 will be the third mission before space shuttle retirement.  After this, there will only be two more launches on the space shuttle launch schedule. STS-132 will be an 11 day mission of the space shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station. The commander is Kenneth Ham and the pilot will be Dominic "Tony" Antonelli. Mission Specialist astronauts for the mission are Stephen Bowen, Michael Good, Piers Sellers, and Garrett Reisman.

STS-132 will transport a European robotic arm and a Russian module to the International Space Station. At least three spacewalks are planned. STS-132 is scheduled to be the final flight of space shuttle Atlantis.

STS-134 will be the flight before the last space shuttle mission. STS-134 is a mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station. Mark Kelly will command the mission and Gregory Johnson will serve as pilot. The mission specialist astronauts will be Gregory Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel, Michael Fincke, along with mission specialist Roberto Vittori, of the European Space Agency.

The primary payload the STS-134 will carry to the International Space Station will be the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. This is a specialized instrument designed to detect cosmic rays. After this mission, there will be only one flight left on the space shuttle launch schedule.

NASA’s final space shuttle mission will be STS-133. Steven Lindsey will be the commander and Eric Boe will be the pilot of NASA’s last space shuttle mission. Astronauts Michael Barratt, Benjamin Drew, Timothy Kopra, and Nicole Stott will serve as mission specialists.

The STS-133 mission will be with Discovery orbiter to the International Space Station. STS-133 will deliver an un-pressurized platform which will keep experiments outside of the space station in the vacuum of space. The space shuttle will also deliver a Permanent Logistics Module and spare parts for a two-armed robot. STS-133 will be the final space shuttle flight.

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