( CNN ) -- As crew members of the last space shuttle flight hovered over Earth for the final time , they spoke with CNN Wednesday about the next frontier in space flight . `` I think that what we 're going to see in the next few years is a very broadening horizon , '' shuttle commander Chris Ferguson told CNN 's Ali Velshi hundreds of miles above Earth . `` What we 'll do is we 'll turn over the reins of that business to commercial partners . '' Atlantis is scheduled to land at 5:56 a.m . ET Thursday , capping a 30-year shuttle program that has sent 355 astronauts into space . But Atlantis mission specialist Rex Walheim said he hopes the end of NASA 's shuttle program marks the beginning of more flight opportunities . `` I think it 's going to open up a new era of space flight , '' Walheim said . `` We want to take that next step -- get access to Earth orbit cheaper and more frequent . We can do that by partnering with our commercial partners , and that will allow NASA to really focus on the exploration , '' such as going beyond the Earth 's orbit or to asteroids and Mars . `` I think it 's going to be an extremely enjoyable and extremely exciting time for NASA , '' Walheim said . `` It 's just that we have to get through this transition . '' Atlantis lifted off July 8 on NASA 's final space shuttle mission . The first shuttle , Columbia , blasted off in April 1981 . Since then , space shuttle crews have fixed satellites , performed scientific studies , and ferried materials and people to International Space Station Alpha , a football field-sized construction project in orbit . NASA has sent five space shuttles on a total of 135 missions . When Atlantis lands , it will leave the United States with no way to lift humans into space for the first time in decades . NASA will rely on the Russian space agency to ferry U.S. astronauts to orbit .
Astronauts say commercial partners will be in the future of space flight . A mission specialist says he hopes space travel will be cheaper and more frequent . Atlantis is scheduled to land Thursday morning . The landing will mark the end of NASA 's 30-year shuttle program .