The symposium is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the contributions of men and women from the U.S. and around the world who dedicated their careers to the success of space missions in the Shuttle Era. The Space Shuttle program has spanned three decades of operation and its storied saga is coming to an end with STS Mission 135 scheduled in 2011. The technical advances made possible by the program have touched everyone on this planet, and opened our eyes both to the wonders of the planet we all share and to the mysteries of the deep space beyond. As this time of remarkable accomplishments draws to a close, it is important that we pause to honor those who contributed to its design, operation, and success, and reflect on the lessons from this complex system, a true turning point in mankind’s voyage into space.

This symposium will bring together an international group of scientists, technologists, engineers, mission designers, policy makers and students with an interest in learning from the significant contributions of the shuttle era and in exchanging ideas to promote future collaboration and continued leadership in space science and engineering. The symposium scope includes topics of the Shuttle Era-its history, technical and scientific achievements, the orbiter, propulsion, structures and thermal protection, system and mission flight operations, ground operations, current and future vehicle concepts and designs, astronaut safety provisions and two panel discussions focusing on “lessons learned” and international collaboration.