Final shuttle launch on schedule -- liftoff!

[EarlG]

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

For those who are interested.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I've always enjoyed watching shuttle launches.

I'll miss them.

[Oceansaway]

2. thanks...n/t

[myrna minx]

3. What a bittersweet end of an era. n/t

[woo me with science]

20. +1 nt

[WillyT]

4. K & R !!!

:patriot:

:kick:

[gateley]

5. Also on TV -- MSNBC, CNN and of course, NASA TV. nt

[pipi_k]

6. Watching the NASA channel right now...

Hope I don't cry.

Then, of course, there will be the final return...

[catabryna]

7. Thank you... CNN *radio* never gets it right. nt

[Marrah_G]

8. damn- doesn't seem possible

I'm tearing up here at work. My son has always wanted to work for NASA, now he is sad because he will have to work for a corporation instead.

[toddwv]

9. It's about time!

The shuttle should've had it's last liftoff over 20 years ago.

[HopeHoops]

12. DU rules prevent me from responding to your post in the manner that is most appropriate.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. There was bound to be somebody who'd come by to piss on this thread.

I was just waiting; it didn't take long.

But I don't care. I loved the shuttle launches -- and while I realize that it was an expensive program and maybe the money could be put to better use elsewhere, I'm still sorry it's over. And piss on the pissers.

[HopeHoops]

17. Yeah, a douche bag was destined to show up eventually. I watched the launch of STS-1.

What is really sad is that we don't have a replacement program in place. This is the first time in the history of manned space flight that NASA didn't have a backup program in the wings. Russia pretty much has the monopoly at this point. Fuck "privatizing" it - that's bullshit. There are some things that the government DOES do better than private industry and space flight is one of them. They may not do it cheaper, I'll grant you that, but I'll still stick with NASA over for-profit companies.

[toddwv]

18. Everybody loved the shuttle launches.

The shuttle program was once a shining jewel but became nothing more than a huge weight around NASA's neck that has been dragging it down for decades now.

It's simply embarrassing that we were considering going back to the moon as a big project for our space program. We where there nearly a 1/2 century ago. It's just frustrating and enraging that we let the space program fester for so long and now, after being so far ahead in many areas, we have to hitch rides with other countries.

The space shuttles should've been replaced 20 years ago. I'm not surprised that we are clinging to these relics of an age that is in the past. An era when science was actually elevated to the status of a national priority, not some four letter word that is synonymous with "liberal" to the ultra right-wing who are now in control of the country.

The shuttle program is just another example of how far we are falling. This legacy program has been consuming increasingly large portions of NASA's overall budget and was locking us into a low-orbit, payload delivery mentality which was doing nothing to advance our pool of pure knowledge.

Our space program has been on cruise control for the past 20 years and the archaic space shuttles are the primary reason.

I'm glad that my posts make some people angry because THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I FEEL!!!

[Bluerthanblue]

10. it was good to see it go off so well.

I still have a hard time not envisioning the worst.

I greatly admired Christa McCauliffe.

Safe Journey Atlantis.

[joshcryer]

11. I took an early lunch to hopefully see this, YES! Now I go back to work hungry.

[greytdemocrat]

13. Nice launch Nasa!

Hope there is smooth sailing on the final mission!

[Uncle Joe]

15. I'm glad you posted this here.

Thanks for the thread, Earl.:thumbsup:

[Mojorabbit]

16. I stepped outside to watch but it was too cloudy.

A sad day to be sure.

[krispos42]

19. I thought they were going to have to scrub the launch at T -31s

Glad they made it!