It would be wrong to let this week pass without mentioning the retirement of one of mankind's greatest manufacturing feats - the NASA Space Shuttle.

This Thursday, Space Shuttle Atlantis will land for the final time, marking the end of NASA's Space Shuttle program which first took flight in April 1981. A design and piece of equipment that has not only lasted the test of time at 30 years old but also the extreme pressures of space travel, the NASA Space Shuttle is quite possibly the greatest machine ever made.

To see the full extent of manufacturing that goes into getting the Shuttle into orbit and then safely back down to earth, checkout these series of videos produced by NASA and narrated by the legendary William Shatner. Take it away Bill…

Although this does mark the end to NASA's Space Shuttle, it also marks the beginning of a new era in space travel and one that will challenge the next generation of engineers, designers and manufacturers. With commercial travel outlined as the final frontier's future, a new space race is emerging and one currently led by our very own Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.

But until we see the first space tourists circling the globe, let's honour the many men and women who manufactured our very first steps to the stars. Godspeed Atlantis…