How many astronauts composed the crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis for STS-135?
Answer
Four
For the final mission, STS-135, NASA utilized an unusual crew configuration consisting of four astronauts, deviating from the typical limit of seven. This decision was a deliberate contingency measure. Since there was no backup Orbiter available for a potential rescue mission scenario, flying a smaller crew helped keep the Orbiter's mass lower, which was advantageous given the significantly increased cargo load mandated for the final supply run. The crew for this historic flight included Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim.
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