Good Luck STS-135!

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/135_splash/index.html

Really wanted to go and see this in person. . Do wish them luck

Yes, good luck. We (kinda) watched from here. I caught a glimpse as it punched through the clouds. We did hear it, though.

Watched the live feed, quite the dramatic announcer dude.

Watched the live feed too. I can't believe we're not doing that anymore. But that's another thread.

Good luck and Godspeed to the crew.

I remember watching the first one huddled around one of the four TV's that we had in school. And I'm glad I got to watch the last two launches in HD.

It still amazes me that we are able to do this and even more so that we could do this 30 years ago with STS-1 and 50 years ago with Mercury.

I went to see the first launch as a child and was a big fan. But in this day and age and economic climate, I'm glad to see it go. I never saw the ROI. (But then, I really don't care where the universe came from or how it started.)

As a kid I was a huge space nut, and my entire fourth grade class took a day trip to the space and rocket center in Huntsville, AL. As sad as I am to see it go, the shuttles time has come and gone.

pinchvalve wrote: I went to see the first launch as a child and was a big fan. But in this day and age and economic climate, I'm glad to see it go. I never saw the ROI. (But then, I really don't care where the universe came from or how it started.)

It's too bad you can't make the connection from NASA to your daily life. Microwaves, flash memory, tin foil, velcro, LCD's, Lithium batteries... The list of stuff that was a direct result or spinoff from the space program will boggle your mind.

Not to mention NASA's budget is such small freaking potatoes compared to everything else that it isn't even funny.

We're talking about the Space Shuttle, though..... not NASA. NASA will still be there. This isn't the end of NASA and all space programs for the rest of eternity or anything...

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: We're talking about the Space Shuttle, though..... not NASA. NASA will still be there. This isn't the end of NASA and all space programs for the rest of eternity or anything...

Yeah, right. Drive to Cape Canaveral, look around, and tell me with a straight face that NASA isn't on the chopping block. My dad left there 1.5 years ago (and he was HIGH up the food chain). My ex-step-mom built SRB's and was laid off. They have no workers, no money, and no funding coming for future projects.

Our space program is dead.

I was there on base on the causeway and it was AWESOME! Got up at 2 AM to head over with a buddy who is a POD on the Space Station. Very emotional watching it go up for the last time.

We hung around on base afterward and stopped by the VAB, the countdown clock and popped over to the landing strip and caught some of the other astronauts heading out in their T-38s. Picts to follow once my wife gets them off her camera.

Photos my folks took today https://picasaweb.google.com/106463326749965615616/FinalShuttle135July82011FromTitusvilleFL

I so wanted to get down there for the last one.. but this is my busiest part of my work year.. just could not take the financial hit

JoeyM wrote: Photos my folks took today https://picasaweb.google.com/106463326749965615616/FinalShuttle135July82011FromTitusvilleFL

These are awesome pics, Joey!

Love the one with the kayakers.

When I lived in Florida, my fiance and I got to see the first night launch from across the bay! That thing lit up the entire sky, it was such a powerful experience.

The kayakers pic is my new screen background!

the kayakers probably have one of the best views. What does the sign say?

Javelin wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: We're talking about the Space Shuttle, though..... not NASA. NASA will still be there. This isn't the end of NASA and all space programs for the rest of eternity or anything...

Yeah, right. Drive to Cape Canaveral, look around, and tell me with a straight face that NASA isn't on the chopping block. My dad left there 1.5 years ago (and he was HIGH up the food chain). My ex-step-mom built SRB's and was laid off. They have no workers, no money, and no funding coming for future projects. Our space program is dead.

I'm preferring to stay on the positive side and just look objectively at the fact that the Space Shuttle is 30 years old, and that NASA isn't dead until well.... it's dead.

no, it's not dead.. but they are proposing it's budget be frozen till 2020.. when they should be working on the next generation of orbiter

mad_machine wrote: the kayakers probably have one of the best views. What does the sign say?

"resume normal operation" (i.e. "at this point, you are no longer in a no wake zone")

dogbreath wrote: When I lived in Florida, my fiance and I got to see the first night launch from across the bay! That thing lit up the entire sky, it was such a powerful experience.

Watching a night Shuttle launch (from the control station next to the VAB!) is still one of the coolest things I've ever seen in my life.

Javelin wrote:

dogbreath wrote: When I lived in Florida, my fiance and I got to see the first night launch from across the bay! That thing lit up the entire sky, it was such a powerful experience.

Watching a night Shuttle launch (from the control station next to the VAB!) is still one of the coolest things I've ever seen in my life.

I'm jealous....I, too, saw one from across the bay...it was like sunrise. Being up close like that would have been awesome!

Finally got ours uploaded. Here's a few my wife took. Ive got to get her a longer lens... We were about 6 miles away.

The sweet pass...

The Count down/up clock.

If you ever wondered what the space program has done for you.

T-38 taking off