McLean Fahnestock needed to wait until Atlantis took off for the bittersweet conclusion of NASA's Space Shuttle program before he could compile the mesmorizing clip below, which presents all 135 shuttle launches at once. Bookended by STS-1 (1981) and last year's STS-135, it's among the best homages to United States space exploration that we've come across. Sadly, it would be impossible to piece together such a project without including some tragic moments. Those include the Challenger disaster (visible in the 25th frame) and the ill-fated takeoff of 2003's STS-107, which would ultimately result in the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew. Still, the success and memories that resulted from the vast majority of flights here will be a source of wonderment for generations to come, and Fahnestock's video is a fitting tribute.