Update: July 21st 4:35 p.m.

A Saginaw Valley State University graduate helped the final space shuttle mission return home Thursday.

Toney Ceccacci graduated from SVSU's Engineering School in 1973, and went on to serve as a NASA Flight Director. 

After serving as lead Flight Director for Atlantis in 2009, he was called to the craft's final mission.

"It's quite an accomplishment, very big accomplishment to have one of our SVSU engineering students do that is just remarkable," SVSU's Professor Eldon Graham told NBC25 Thursday. 

For the 133 time a space shuttle has returned to earth, but this time for the final time.

The space shuttle Atlantis made its final landing at the the Kennedy Space Center Thursday morning at 5:56 EST seen live on NBC25 Today.

It's the end of an era for U.S. spaceflight.

As the shuttle cut through the early morning sky, the anticipation and emotion continued to grow.

As Atlantis made its arrival, Rob Navias NASA commentator said, "Having fired the imagination of a generation, a ship like no other. Its place in history secure, the space shuttle Atlantis arrives in port for the last time."

Christ Ferguson, STS-135 commander says, "A lot of emotion today, but one thing is indisputable, America is not going to stop exploring. Thank you Columbia, Challenger, Discover, Endeavor and our ship Atlantis. Thank you for protecting us and for bringing this program to such a fitting end. God bless all of you and God bless America."

Ferguson hopes the final mission inspires the next generation. "I want that picture of a young six-year-old boy looking up at a space shuttle in a museum and say 'Daddy, I want do that when I grow up' or 'I want our country to do fantastic things like this for the continued future,'" says Ferguson.