Wheels Down: The End of a Shuttle Mission

The Space Shuttle was more than a spacecraft — it was also a glider. After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, the Shuttle transitioned into an unpowered glide for landing. Here we see Challenger in one of those dramatic moments, its landing gear deployed as it touches down on the runway. Each Shuttle landing was a precision maneuver, requiring astronauts to guide the massive orbiter with no second chances. Unlike aircraft, the Shuttle had only one attempt — no engines to circle back around, just a controlled descent to the runway. This photo embodies both the danger and elegance of NASA’s Shuttle era, where missions ended not with a splashdown at sea, but with the screech of wheels on concrete.