OT - God Speed, Atlantis!

[Clover~]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/08/2305126/space-shuttle-atlantis-ready-for.html?asset_id=2304911&asset_type=gallery
Well it's over.... I shed a tear this morning when the shuttle launched. I grew up in florida and remember as a small child watching a shuttle take off. It was magical and filled me so many hopes and dreams. Today that dream died a little.

 

[Morandir835]

Will never understand why they're ending it before they have something else in place Ms. Clover... I still remember watching the Challenger launch and the tragedy that ensued afterwards (save for the birth of the greatest radio show all time)... Feel your pain Ms. Clover.

 

[K9Luvr]

I work at NASA, and many of us can't understand why this is the last one. Now, manned space flight, to and from the ISS, is only available by Russia. We watched it on NASATV. God speed.

 

[been there]

I think we all know why but I'm not going to get into politics, Where I live is all most directly across from NASA and sometimes can see the shuttle take off if its not to cloudy, what a site it will be missed.

 

[MaiTaiMary]

I will really miss the night launches...running outside to see the fireball in the sky. And waiting for the rumble rumble KaBOOM when it comes back home. Only saw it launch up close and personal once but it was one of the most awe inspiring sights ever. God speed indeed.

 

[Tenebrae]

The dream has been dying a lingering death for a couple decades now. So sad that our country only cares about space exploration when there is a pissing contest going on with another country. Now we would rather spend the money killing brown people overseas and/or propping up other regimes. If the folks on the challenger had known what their deaths would eventually lead to they would have wept.

I really hope other countries pursuit space exploration. Retiring our manned space program is akin to admitting we are accepting the decline. So sad, a piece of me died as well.