Watching the last shuttle launch

Parent Cafe
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<p>[NASA</a> HD-TV, Ustream.TV: If you are watching from a mobile device or slower connection, watch the Mobile Feed for NASA Television Here NASA TV airs…](<a href=“NASA Public-Education”>NASA Public-Education)</p>

<p>They are at T minus 9 minutes and holding (45 minute hold) for the final shuttle, Atlantis. Hard to believe Columbia, the first shuttle mission, was 30 years ago! I remember watching the first ground landing when I was in grad school. Sadly, I remember, when pregnant with my now 25 year old, the Challenger loss. What are your memories of the shuttle flights.</p>

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<p>This morning I heard an interview with Bob Crippen, the commander of the very first shuttle flight. I got to meet him in 1983 when he came to speak to the engineering honor society at UT-Austin (his daughter was a UT engineering student at the time). I was so impressed with him! It wa an honor to meet him.</p>

<p>I was going up to my dad’s office in the Civil Engineering building at UT when I heard about the Challenger explosion. Several of us watched the coverage on the TV in his secretary’s office.</p>

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<p>Am watching a restrospective history being shown on the nasa tv link [NASA</a> HD-TV, Ustream.TV: If you are watching from a mobile device or slower connection, watch the Mobile Feed for NASA Television Here NASA TV airs…](<a href=“NASA Public-Education”>NASA Public-Education) its actually quite moving.</p>

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<p>I’m sorry I missed that. DH working for Rockwell (Seal Beach) back in the early 80s and we saw a couple of landings at Edwards AFB. Watching now.</p>

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<p>Oh man! Some failure at 31 seconds. Verifying that arm has fully retracted</p>

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<p>That was so beautiful. Very smoothe takeoff.</p>

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<p>End of an era. A beautiful launch. No more manned space program for the United States, I guess. We were talking last night about how lucky we were to have lived through the excitement of the space program. I remember as a little girl going out to the shopping center to watch Sputnik go by. The summer after high school, I was at a sleepover at a friend’s house to watch the first moon walk. </p>

<p>And in 1998 we were VIP guests at the launch of STS-91 (DH got an award for helping develop the lightweight aluminum for the external fuel tanks that enabled the shuttle to carry parts to build the space station). We got to see the launch from VIP seating on the bleachers, tour the inside of the VAB, walk under the crawler, drive on the landing strip, walk through a mockup of the space station, and meet and greet astronauts at a reception. Once in a lifetime experience.</p>

<p>I’ll have to go re-read The Right Stuff, I guess.</p>

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<p>When we went to the first landing I was mostly going along as a dutiful spouse. I was completely taken by surprise when I saw how elegant (and moving) it was. Last week I saw the new Airbus 380 at the Paris Air Show. It was a little like watching a hippo do ballet, very graceful.</p>

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<p>It’s sad, frankly. Sigh. End of an era… which makes me wonder: is America’s best era behind us?</p>

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<p>^^That’s what I’m wondering, too.</p>

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<p>I think America has to admit that in many ways we are not #1- but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.</p>

<p>In Costa Rica for example, they don’t have a military & they put their emphasis on education. What a concept!</p>

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<p>It’s like putting away a whole box of dreams from my childhood and even adult life. So sad that we are not pursuing the dream any more…</p>

<p>Maybe some entrepeneur will take it on. Not sure if the US is where he/she will want to do it, though…</p>

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<p>Nice article about one astronaut’s reflections on space flight:</p>

<p>[Shuttle</a> Astronaut’s Four Most Extraordinary Moments](<a href=“National Geographic”>National Geographic)</p>