what happens at the end of space cowboys
Space Cowboys Frank, Tank, and Jerry now work to bring the shuttle back to earth, with the plan to achieve a low enough altitude to allow the shuttle to be evacuated over water since landing it would be difficult. Frank successfully pilots the shuttle to reenter orbit but with too fast a speed. After safely ejecting Ethan and Roger, Tank and Jerry stay with Frank regardless of the risk. Frank recalls a maneuver Hawk had used before, purposely stalling the shuttle to drop its speed quickly and allowing him to land the shuttle safely. The crew is welcomed back as heroes. Later, Frank talks with his wife Barbara and contemplates if Hawk made it to the Moon. The film ends with the Frank Sinatra song "Fly Me to the Moon", zooming in on the surface of the Moon showing that Hawk had indeed arrived, having died while peacefully watching the Earth.