Which space shuttle flew the final mission of the program?

Atlantis flew the final mission of the Space Shuttle program. Its flight, designated STS-135, launched on July 8, 2011, and landed at Kennedy Space Center on July 21, bringing the shuttle era to a close.

STS-135 was the 135th and final shuttle mission. Atlantis carried a four-person crew—Chris Ferguson, Doug Hurley, Sandra Magnus, and Rex Walheim—and delivered the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to the International Space Station. The mission helped stock the station with supplies and equipment after shuttle flights ended.

The crew size was deliberately small. If Atlantis had suffered a serious problem in orbit, the astronauts could have waited for rescue by a regularly scheduled Russian Soyuz mission. The flight lasted nearly 13 days and included the final shuttle visit to the International Space Station.

Discovery and Endeavour also have important “final” distinctions: Discovery flew the program’s final mission for that orbiter, and Endeavour flew the program’s final night launch. But Atlantis was the shuttle that completed the program’s final mission overall.