Fare well Atlantis and all who participated

[deziloooooo]

Well it's over and I have a sadness in me..I thank all who participated in these events and were a part of this period in our history..Well Done , you did good.
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www.courant.com/news/breaking/os-shuttle-atlantis-landing-20110721,0,1673049.story
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[Click on link to read article]
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Atlantis lands to end space shuttle era
Space shuttle Atlantis landing brings 30-year program to a close

6:14 a.m. EDT, July 21, 2011

"CAPE CANAVERAL – Atlantis' landing in the faintest glimmer of dawn this morning ended the flawless final mission of NASA's space shuttle program and gave way to NASA's new era of uncertainty, with no more manned space flight launches for many years.

With Commander Chris Ferguson at the helm, Atlantis touched down at Kennedy Space Center at 5:57 a.m. in perfect, cloudless, windless weather. When its wheels stopped a minute later NASA saluted 30 years of triumph and tragedy for a shuttle program that has kept the United States at the forefront of manned space flight since 1981, but is over.

"The space shuttle changed the way we view the world and changed the way we view the universe," Ferguson said. "We have emotion today but one thing is indisputable: America is not going to stop exploring.

"Thank you Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Endeavour and our ship Atlantis," Ferguson continued, acknowleging the other orbiters. "Thank you for protecting us and bringing this program to such a fitting end. God bless all of you. God bless the United States of America."

[billisonboard]

[mmhmm]

It is rather bittersweet, isn't it, dezi? We've had high times and low times through these years with the space program and NASA. It doesn't seem possible it's over. Yet, we learned from it and we all experienced the wonder of what was done, seen, and experienced. I feel for the people who now find themselves out of work in an area where there just isn't much for them. Ours is a tough world.

[deziloooooo]

Thanks Bilons..appropriate..they say Hubble , has at least another 5/10 years..possible but was designed for re visits every three years..though last one just done last year was seven years..but there was a lot of wear and tear there..space is a tough environement..and I am not sure if the new telescope is still being funded..wionder how they will get it up there...much larger then the Hubble.

[zipity]

IMO, this is only the close of another chapter but not the end of space exploration. Wait till the Chinese build their own space station and possibly a facility on the moon surface, Americans will want back in.

[deziloooooo]

Jul 21, 2011 14:16:51 GMT -5 zipity said:

IMO, this is only the close of another chapter but not the end of space exploration. Wait till the Chinese build their own space station and possibly a facility on the moon surface, Americans will want back in.

I would see nothing wrong with joint cooperation and funding on these endeavers, however, what happens when cost spiral out of control, programs are stopped or spread out depending on our political situation of the moment, the waste or loss , however you want to look at it at NASA , the newest rocket , now basically put on she shelf was Billions, how would that be handled in a cooperative joint endeaver.

[billisonboard]

Jul 21, 2011 14:16:51 GMT -5 zipity said:

IMO, this is only the close of another chapter but not the end of space exploration. Wait till the Chinese build their own space station and possibly a facility on the moon surface, Americans will want back in.

We might just have to be satisfied that they are using our money to do.

[mmhmm]

Private industry is also getting involved in building vehicles for space exploration. It's not going to happen tomorrow, but it is going to happen.

[handyman2]

Well the Chinese are welcome to the moon but I seriously doubt they will even try. Sounds like a lot of propaganda to me. We are not abandoning space. It is just that we actually have the technology to study space by rockets and robotics much cheaper than manned flights. Let us not forget a journey into deep space would be very difficult for the human body considering the time it would take to get there. It is a matter of years not weeks.
I to will miss the space program as it existed. It has given us much in the way we live and the benefits provided. Our lives and our understanding of the universe has improved a thousand fold. A job well done.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

No one has mentioned the 9000 job lost that are directly tied to this program.

[billisonboard]

Jul 22, 2011 8:08:04 GMT -5 Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ said:

No one has mentioned the 9000 job lost that are directly tied to this program.

Quite a savings for taxpayers.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

Quite a savings for taxpayers.


A truism... 9000 more on the unemployment rolls, plus the locality where the facility is/was based loses the economic impact.

When the Navy pulled out of Rhode Island in the 70s, the state became an economic ghost town...

[billisonboard]

Jul 22, 2011 9:16:23 GMT -5 Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ said:

Quite a savings for taxpayers.


A truism... 9000 more on the unemployment rolls, plus the locality where the facility is/was based loses the economic impact.

When the Navy pulled out of Rhode Island in the 70s, the state became an economic ghost town...

Pain.

[zipity]

programs are stopped or spread out depending on our political situation of the moment, the waste or loss , however you want to look at it at NASA , the newest rocket , now basically put on she shelf was Billions,

Political short sightedness can be overcome. The stupidity of today will evolve into a voting public that decides that it's ok to pay taxes for programs which are beneficial to the nation. Not everyone support the initial push to get to the moon which was extremely expensive in 1960s dollars. However when you consider all the technologies and industries that came about as a result of the project, the money was more than worth every tax dollar spent. Putting colonies on the moon or mining an asteroid may not have an immediate payback making it difficult for private companies to spend the billions in R&D required to succeed. But that type of project does challenge human intellect which is usually a good thing.

Well the Chinese are welcome to the moon but I seriously doubt they will even try. Sounds like a lot of propaganda to me.

Actually more like national pride, to be the only other country to land on the moon raises Chinese status above the Russians and Europeans. Taking what we did and doing it bigger and better puts them alone in a field with the US. Personally I don't care whether or not we return to the moon, I'd prefer that we set a goal of building a new clean energy based manufacturing industry that out classes the Chinese industry. They can have the moon, we'll take back the economic power that's been moving to Asia.

[ed1066]

So would someone please explain how it's a good thing that now the only way for us to get men or materials into space is by hitching a ride on one of Russia's notoriously dangerous Soyuz rockets? Why does the Obama administration hate our astronauts so much?

[zipity]

Why does the Obama administration hate our astronauts so much?

Try to follow along, congress writes the legislation, Obama signs the legislation. This is just another example of congress being penny foolish and pound stupid. Just call your elected leaders Ed and tell them that you support spending money on NASA.

[deziloooooo]

Jul 23, 2011 16:20:53 GMT -5 @ed1066 said:

So would someone please explain how it's a good thing that now the only way for us to get men or materials into space is by hitching a ride on one of Russia's notoriously dangerous Soyuz rockets? Why does the Obama administration hate our astronauts so much?

mmm, uhh ed it seems that President Bush , back in 2004, is the one who cancelled our Shuttle program, not saying it is a good decision or not, I have heard the shuttle could still fly and also that they are actually to old, shuttles, and unsafe.

I understand it's very expensive to fly them, $500 million per fleight or what ever...so I question the "Obama hates our ..." , possible under the current finncial mess , it is to expensive for us..?