Watch NASA's tribute to Endeavour

The astronauts of Endeavour's last space mission pay tribute to the shuttle's history and legacy. Speakers include commander Mark Kelly, Andrew Feustel, Mike Fincke, Italy's Roberto Vittori, Greg Chamitoff and pilot Greg Johnson.

By Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News

After Endeavour's final departure from the International Space Station, and before the preparations for its final landing on Earth, the space shuttle crew had one big task on their agenda: recording a tribute to the spaceship that they and 24 other crews rode into orbit over the past 19 years. In this video, STS-134 mission commander Mark Kelly and his mates share their thoughts on Endeavour's history and its legacy for the future. Kelly recalls that Endeavour was "partly a collection of spare parts," built up as a replacement after the loss of the shuttle Challenger and its crew in 1986. It was the first shuttle to be involved in assembly of the now-complete space station, and served as the spaceship for Kelly's first as well as his last spaceflight.

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"The retirement of Endeavour and the shuttle fleet will not end the human need to explore," Kelly said. "It is, and always will be, part of who we are. The United States will build other spaceships, better than those of today. Even if they are years in the future, they will nevertheless increase our knowledge of the world, generate an enormous benefit to our economy and inspire our children. We can't know when they will come about, or what they will be, but perhaps one of those new vehicles of exploration will be named Endeavour, and maybe it will take humans to other planets or even more distant worlds circling other stars. It could bear no prouder or more fitting name."

Endeavour is fated to be put on display at the California Science Center after its landing and refurbishment — and who knows? Maybe this video will be an enduring part of the exhibit.

More about Endeavour:

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Explore related topics: video, featured, nasa, shuttle, endeavour, sts-134

Ron Paolini

A moving and fitting tribute to an amazing craft, support staff, team and more importantly our brothers and sisters in humanity around the world. I think it was said appropriately that Endeavor and the other shuttles were built for space and belong in space. Birds are for flight not to be stuffed and in a museum. Perhaps their role in the museum will motivate us to build a new shuttle that goes farther, better and safer than our current shuttles. That is my hope however I fear that birds designed to fly will be locked in a cage. Interestingly we haven't come any where near the 100 missions each that the shuttles were designed to fly nor do I believe their full potential for use. You have to respect the engineers, designers and craftsman that built these wonderful machines 30+ years ago. Why don't we build a new one! My dream was always that we the old lead the young and smile when our young pass us and go on. Unfortunately the sight of a new shuttle flying by our current ones into deeper space orbits or other planets isn't a reality. But, neither was the current shuttle in the 60's. Perhaps our hope should be the new deep space shuttle can stop by the ISS for a visit during test flights to low orbit. I personally would like my astronauts to ride back to earth in a full size Cadillac not a subcompact economy ride. I think they've earned more than that!

PS I would give anything for a ride on a shuttle!