June 29, 2023 is the 10th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction, and the Kennedy Space Center will mark the occasion with an astronaut-filled event included with admission.
On July 8, 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis blasted off from Kennedy Space Center for the final Space Shuttle launch. Two years after that final flight, Kennedy Space Center ushered in a new era as the an attraction dedicated to the shuttle opened to the public and celebrated NASA’s Space Shuttle Program.
10th Anniversary Panels
The centerpiece of the 10th anniversary event will be two live, in-person panel discussions on July 8, 2023, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors will hear first-hand accounts from veteran astronauts who flew aboard Atlantis.
NASA Astronauts currently scheduled to attend include:
- Richard “Mike” Mullane (STS-41-D, STS-27, STS-36 and STS-62-A)
- Anna Fisher (STS-51-A)
- William “Bill” Shepard (STS-27 and U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame member)
- Guy Gardner (STS-27, STS-35 and STS-62-A)
- Mike Baker (STS-81, STS-52, STS-68 and STS-43)
- Jim Reilly (STS-117, STS-104 and STS-89)
- Chris Ferguson (STS-135, STS-126, STS-115, Boeing Crewed Flight Test, STS-400 and U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame member)
After the discussion, guests can take photos alongside the astronauts with Atlantis in the background.