United Space Alliance
Space Shuttle Atlantis OV-104
Launch Vehicle
Space Shuttle Atlantis OV-104
Configuration: OV-104
Family: Space Shuttle
Constructed in 1985, Atlantis was the fourth operational and the second-to-last Space Shuttle built. Its maiden flight was STS-51-J in October of 1985. Atlantis embarked on its 33rd and final mission, also the final mission of a space shuttle, STS-135, on 8 July 2011.
Communications
STS-61-B was the twenty-third space shuttle mission and the second for the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The shuttle was launched for Kennedy Space Center and the shuttle deployed three communicates satellites. It also tested techniques for constructing structures in orbit. This mission marked the quickest turnaround of a shuttle, just 54 days elapsed beetween this launch and Atlantis' previous mission.