Final shuttle launch

[RavoHimself]

who watched our last shuttle fly into space? personally it was my first and it is something completely amazing to witness.

 

[mn_smokeater]

awesome and bittersweet

 

[rrbrian222]

It brings a tear to my eye to see it come to an end....Killing the manned launch capability of the U.S. is akin to company killing their R&D division. Thanks Obama.

Anyway....I was a kid in the 80s and the Space Shuttle was a huge symbol of pride during the cold war. I soon discovered the band RUSH and their tribute to STS-1 and Columbia on their 1981 album Signals.

 

[noahkenny]

Ive always been an aerospace nut. That was probably the 100th launch Ive seen. Never got to witness one live which is something that I really wanted to.

 

[shane96ranger]

I watched it, and honestly it was the first one I've watched since the catastrophic Challenger launch in '86.

Yes it is quite bittersweet, and I hope funding will be renewed soon (somehow). I wonder what the world would be like if we hadn't ever gone to space? I'd love to know what technologies and advances we wouldn't have right now.

 

[noahkenny]

I watched it, and honestly it was the first one I've watched since the catastrophic Challenger launch in '86.

Yes it is quite bittersweet, and I hope funding will be renewed soon (somehow). I wonder what the world would be like if we hadn't ever gone to space? I'd love to know what technologies and advances we wouldn't have right now.

I can still remember exactly what I was doing and where I was when challenger blew up. I live in Alabama and it was incredbily cold down here that week.. -6F. Coldest I ever remember. It was also extremely cold at the cape. 20F or so. Thats whats caused the failure of the oring in the booster. So cold it wasnt pliable enough to stand the pressure. Can also remember everthing from columbia burning up. Remember watching the tv and the shuttle was overdue. 1 min past then 2 then 3.. It was awful. I worked for NASA for 5 years up at the Marshall space flight center on Redstone arsenal in Huntsville, Al. The only reason I left was due to no job security. I really did enjoy my time there.

 

[shane96ranger]

I can still remember exactly what I was doing and where I was when challenger blew up.

I was in 5th grade, watching it in school. I remember it was a pretty big event at school because of the "Teacher in Space" program. I also remember my teacher crying when it happened.

 

[Tonka]

I was in 2nd grade. I barely remember watching it in school. I know the teacher made a big deal of it. And I remember the jokes "Q: What does NASA stand for? A. Need Another Seven Astronauts". I remember about a year later, being scared my dad was gonna die because he bought an ultralight airplane called a "Challenger". I was half correct too. He crashed it, but wasn't hurt.

 

[--weezl--]

they cancelled the space program?

 

[ranger_mclaren]

they cancelled the space program?

Obama did.

 

[--weezl--]

hmmm, so i guess that's no more sattelite tv, and canada can have our arm back?

 

[ranger_mclaren]

hmmm, so i guess that's no more sattelite tv, and canada can have our arm back?

You have a point I didn't look at it that way. good thing I don't have sattelite. No i'm sure the russian will take full advantage. They'll most likly be doing all of our space work. God help us all.

 

[--weezl--]

you realize that ALL tv communications are via sattelite in some aspect? cable tv comes from a satellite also, the dish is just owned by your cable provider...

 

[ranger_mclaren]

Dammit all to hell, and I missed the shuttle launch BTW.

 

[rrbrian222]

hmmm, so i guess that's no more sattelite tv, and canada can have our arm back?

From what I've heard, the Canada Arm's extension boom that was developed after the Columbia disaster to inspect the underside tiles and leading wing edges of the orbiter will be left on-orbit, attached to the space station. They apparently have some use for it up there. I'd guess at least one of those other arms will end up in a museum somewhere in Canada.

As for the shuttles, Atlantis will end up at the KSC visitor center in Florida after it lands. Discovery goes to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Virginia. Endeavor will go to the California Science Center in L.A.

The test shuttle Enterprise heads to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in NYC.