Engines shutting down, did notice some debris right after tank separation. Great Launch! ( in answer to marc's question.
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STS-135: Final Launch of Atlantis and the Space Shuttle Program.
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Yes, well, whatever, but that does not excuse NASA; there is a huge and fantastic - thrilling even - story to be told, the sort of story that if properly told (and sold) might indeed make the physical sciences more "sexy" and exciting that they are perceived to be at present. It should not only be the province of those perceived to be geeks and nerds. This is NASA's failure, as well as that of education, the media, dare I say Government, too, and so on. Anyway, I think people would like to know (and it would do them good to be informed of) the many advances in their lives made possible by inventions which arose out of the space development programme. I was awestruck by all this when I was a kid, and have never lost my wonder at it.
Re Challenger and Columbia, you made a lot of very salient points. I hadn't realised that Colombia was scheduled to return Hubble to Earth; what a terrible pity. Nor had I realised that both the possibility of a space walk to inspect the craft and/or taking satellite images of the wing had been vetoed for cost management reasons; ouch. Not impressive.
Once again, MR is a constant and continuing source of fascinating information.
Undoubtedly true, but few of the earlier civilisations claimed a respect for human rights as their basis in law, or, as their core founding documents, their well-spring of ideology, self-definition and self-belief, as did the US; instead, they were openly constructed on the basis of rapacious acquisition, and fundamental, indeed, legally reinforced, and sometimes murderous, inequality. As, of course, was Nazi Germany, as well. This makes a difference because Von Braun, after his apprenticeship in Germany, worked in and for the democratic US, rather than heading east of the Elbe to ply his trade in the Soviet Union where they were sometimes more relaxed about such moral short-comings.
Great to see the shuttle take off, by the way.
Cheers
The last "great thing" from America took off for the last time. People around the world know that - the icon for the America we were supposed to be. Been a lousy 10 years for this place - we've lost many great icons.
No TV, theater or sound system on Earth can do a shuttle launch justice - it shakes the ground and pounds your chest from miles upon miles away. Sadly back then I was a typical teen - and didn't care much as I thought we'd be doing that forever. Now the next great thing would be worth watching, I thought...
Commercial space - is going to suck. All the knowledge, research, findings that NASA has provided to the American people - do not expect this from commercial industry. Don't expect Space-X to launch a technical reports server, and to share their trade secrets and research findings with anyone else.
The biggest loss is all the infrastructure going away with the shuttle - why do we keep doing this in America? After Apollo - we left equipment to rot, the most powerful rockets made to date - strung out as monoliths and left to decay. Now we're doing this with the shuttles... ack. Wish they would have left one in orbital storage - nobody to vandalize, nothing to rust, everyone on Earth could look up to see it. That would have been far better than any museum... in my opinion.
No TV, theater or sound system on Earth can do a shuttle launch justice - it shakes the ground and pounds your chest from miles upon miles away. Sadly back then I was a typical teen - and didn't care much as I thought we'd be doing that forever. Now the next great thing would be worth watching, I thought...
Commercial space - is going to suck. All the knowledge, research, findings that NASA has provided to the American people - do not expect this from commercial industry. Don't expect Space-X to launch a technical reports server, and to share their trade secrets and research findings with anyone else.
The biggest loss is all the infrastructure going away with the shuttle - why do we keep doing this in America? After Apollo - we left equipment to rot, the most powerful rockets made to date - strung out as monoliths and left to decay. Now we're doing this with the shuttles... ack. Wish they would have left one in orbital storage - nobody to vandalize, nothing to rust, everyone on Earth could look up to see it. That would have been far better than any museum... in my opinion.
Same budget concerns killed the Apollo program.
Disappointed that for now we have to hitch rides on the Soyuz craft, at more $ after the US announced the end of the Space Shuttle program.
For now we are not hearing anything about a true replacement to the Space Shuttle and its heavy lift, crew, and servicing capabilities. Without the Space Shuttle the Hubble would have been scrap metal hanging in space...
If this what it took for NASA to keep the Space Shuttle flying - then I would be all for it....
I'm not too disappointed in hitching rides on Soyuz space craft as NASA TV might broadcast more Soyuz launches on their tv signal. I saw one rocket being rolled out onto the launch pad and it was pretty cool to see that.
OT: Congratulations NASA Space Program and now back to the Macbook Air
Congrats on the NASA Space Program and Welcome Home Space Shuttle Atlantis!
How many of you took the time to watch it on Live TV/NASA Select TV?
I'm waiting for the 13" MBA to be available at our Navy Exchange.
All the best,
Darren
Congrats on the NASA Space Program and Welcome Home Space Shuttle Atlantis!
How many of you took the time to watch it on Live TV/NASA Select TV?
I'm waiting for the 13" MBA to be available at our Navy Exchange.
All the best,
Darren
My first trip to the USA was between mission one and mission two. Visited the space centre, including the bus tour - hangar, pad, runway, and as a child I was 
If they failed to make the number of flights, not bad for a failure.
Cheers,
OW
If they failed to make the number of flights, not bad for a failure.
Cheers,
OW
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I have seen a few shuttle launches in person and they are truly an amazing experience. I'm sad that the program is coming to an end.
The final launch of Atlantis and the Space Shuttle Program is set to launch on July 8th at 11:26 am. July 8th will be a sad day in American history.
Its not the loss of the shuttle that makes me mad
Its the fact their is nothing ready to step in and take its place.
The X-33 was this close >< (96%) to going into testing before it was canceled and scrapped. Their goes $1.4 billion.
Its not the loss of the shuttle that makes me mad
Its the fact their is nothing ready to step in and take its place.
The X-33 was this close >< (96%) to going into testing before it was canceled and scrapped. Their goes $1.4 billion.
IMHO, it is a waste of money for LEO only vehicles. We need a heavy-lift vehicle that can escape Earth's orbit as well.
I still maintain we should just restart Saturn production with updated engines and components. The Saturn family has been the most reliable launch vehicle we have had so far.
None, unless they can break the gravity barrier somehow.
Throwing more chemical rockets at the problem will not help.
Such is the hubris of Man, thinking that they can overcome this chasm.
Which is why a LEO only vehicle is a waste... But, I have a feeling the ISS could last longer than 2020. It's still talked about being a pivotal refueling point for future vehicles. Endeavour tested out a new docking maneuver to be used by the Orion capsule and Atlantis delivered parts for future refueling testing.