The end of the Space Shuttle era - and the absence of a replacement

The STS-135 flight was the last of any Space Shuttle flight, and this marks the end of the Space Shuttle era, which began some 30 years ago. The Space Shuttle, although quite flawed, was a pinnacle in space flight technology, but eventually was shut down due to too high costs. Here's an overview of this remarkable vehicle :

• Top 10 Space Shuttle moments
• Space Shuttle Era in 10 stories
• Space Shuttle fast facts
• Even ESA made a Space Shuttle site
• The 3 most active shuttles
• A guide to the Space Shuttle
• The Shuttle history in pictures
• A shuttle documentary movie called The 2nd assassination of JFK
• A 80 minute Shuttle movie spoken in by Captain Kirk

Some remarkable quotes :

• "Most people lament the end of the Space Shuttle. What's really sad, is that there is nothing to replace it."
• "1969 : The landing on the moon
  1981 : The start of the Space Shuttle era
  2011 : Nothing
  For anyone traveling backwards in time, the American Space program looks fabulous."