Atlantis (Orbiter Vehicle 104), the fourth orbiter to become
operational, was named after the primary research vessel for the
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts from 1930 to
1966. The ship was the first U.S. vessel to be used for
oceanographic research. Such research was considered to be one of
the last bastions of the sailing vessel as steam-and-diesel-powered
vessels dominated the waterways. The research personnel worked in
two onboard laboratories, examining water samples and marine life
brought to the surface by two large winches from thousands of feet
below the surface. The water samples taken at different depths
varied in temperature, providing clues to the flow of ocean
currents. The crew also used the first electronic sounding devices
to map the ocean floor.
Atlantis made her maiden voyage on the
STS-51J mission, in 1985. Jokingly nicknamed "The Penguin" due
to her lengthy amount of time spent in her hangar rather than
flying, the ship has flown 30 missions with only two missions
remaining before her retirement. Her last flight is slated to be
the STS-132 mission scheduled to launch May 14th, 2010.
Other caches in the series:
Orbiter Micro Series - Discovery (OV103)
Orbiter Micro Series - Columbia (OV102)
Orbiter Micro Series - Endeavour (OV105)