Atlantis is GO!

[= Buckeye Jess =]

I had no idea that network TV was covering today's launch - it was awesome!
Anybody know if there are any photos showing Atlantis and Endeavor both on the launch pads? I'm not sure if the pads are even close enough to have them both in one shot.
I sure do miss the days when the whole country got ramped up for a shuttle mission and every channel showed the launches.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html

[= Buckeye Jess =]

Jackpot!

[dirkterrell]

I sure do miss the days when the whole country got ramped up for a shuttle mission and every channel showed the launches.

The manned spaceflight program used to do things worth getting fired up about. All we've done for the last 30 years is dilly-dally around in low Earth orbit. Mind you, it's useful stuff but it's hardly the kind of thing that gets broad segments of the population fired up. I don't really blame NASA, though. The goals have to be set by the administration and the Congress, and leadership from the top has been sorely lacking since Apollo. The return to the Moon was a good start but I'm betting that won't last unless the Chinese mount a serious effort to send crews there. NASA's budget hasn't fared well under the most recent Democratic administrations.

The American public seems to have a curious view of the manned space program. We expect it to do great things but neglect it unless someone else does something dramatic or a disaster happens. Most don't realize how much we gained technology-wise from the big investment in Apollo. Pushing frontiers has tremendous rewards down the road but we don't seem to think much about the future.

Dirk

[asp_125]

Showing my age, but I remember when schools would stop classes and people would stop work to watch a moon mission. Of course there were only a handful of moon missions. I just looked up the link above, this is STS-125, meaning there have been 124 routine flights prior to this one. Of course we remember Challenger and Columbia, but there have been many missions that it's no longer sensational news.

[brennahm]

BTW, if you ever get a chance to see a launch in person, take it. VERY cool.

[dirkterrell]

BTW, if you ever get a chance to see a launch in person, take it. VERY cool.

Definitely. I've seen ~25. It is a very moving experience.

Dirk

[Pandora-11]

I was teaching middle school in Orlando when Challenger blew up. We were watching it outside.
Dealing with the aftermath of it with the kids was an ordeal. It was interesting to say the least how differently each one reacted....from sobbing to hysterical, maniacal laughing to just silence, shrugging, and "What's the big deal?"
It was a study in human psychology. I really haven't wanted to watch one since then.

[Pandora-11]

Dirk,
Why is the Endeavor at ready position?
Rescue?

[Shea]

Dirk,
Why is the Endeavor at ready position?
Rescue?

Yup. High orbit mission with lots (and lots) of trash. Probability of a strike is high enough that they have Endeavor on the pad for a possible rescue mission.

[dirkterrell]

Dirk,
Why is the Endeavor at ready position?
Rescue?

Yeah, there was quite a bit of discussion of HST servicing missions after the Columbia disaster. If the shuttle was damaged and couldn't land, they wouldn't be able to get to the Space Station. So, they initially decided not to do the last servicing mission (when Sean O'Keefe was the NASA Administrator). But they developed a plan whereby a second shuttle would be on the pad ready to perform a rescue if needed, so they are pressing ahead with the servicing mission (which makes us astronomers happy).

Dirk

[Devaclis]

Jess, you get excited very easy. Remind me to mention that on bike night

[Devaclis]

Living in Houston during the Challenger tragedy we had the week off of school. It was a terrible loss and a HUGE blow to the people there who lived the space program. My walls were covered in NASA photos from GEMINI, to MERCURY, to APOLLO, Saturn V, the Shuttle, the Astronauts, everything. It was devastating. All of us lost a lot when Challenger faulted. I really don't think that the recovery of the space program was the same as it had been in past tragedies (Mercury). We lost a civilian. A teacher. Someone who all of us kids saw as the envoy to a really awesome new way of life. We got to meet a couple of the crew memebers at Space Camp. Yeah I went, wanna fight about it? It totally changed the direction of my life. I took a different career path. It effected a lot of peeps in ways that just losing a shuttle crew would not, in todays America.

Showing my age, but I remember when schools would stop classes and people would stop work to watch a moon mission. Of course there were only a handful of moon missions. I just looked up the link above, this is STS-125, meaning there have been 124 routine flights prior to this one. Of course we remember Challenger and Columbia, but there have been many missions that it's no longer sensational news.

[y_merkle]

I love to watch the launches and their return. When I was 5 the Challanger was at Peterson AFB, piggy back on a 747. would love to see one in person some day. Great photo. Thanks for sharing!

Jackpot!

[= Buckeye Jess =]

Jess, you get excited very easy. Remind me to mention that on bike night

Oh honey you have noooo idea! All I ever wanted to do when I was a munchkin was to be an astronaut and when I figured out that math was gonna kill me first, I decided I'd be a doctor - so I could go up as a payload specialist and so some real cool experiments. That or I'd be able to go up when we were going to inhabit a bigger space station ya know! lol To this day I will just sit and stare at the TV watching every launch I can. There is not much (if anything) I can think of that I wouldn't be willing to give up in order to have the opportunity to go up there to this day!

I actually had the opportunity to apply for a fire position at Johnson, but needless to say.. that didn't work out. I was sorely disappointed.

Dirk, you are right tho... I understand why the public doesn't watch nor really even care about the missions anymore. I'll never grow tired of watching them though and sincerely hope we get something pulled together soon if 2011 is truly going to be the end of the shuttle era.

[UglykidJoe]

I was 19 when the Challenger disaster happened, I was at work, walking into a supply warehouse and it was dead quiet, I couldn't find anybody, as I walked into the front office the owner who was an older man walked by me with tears in his eyes mumbling the words "tragedy, a damn tragedy". I will never forget that day.

When Columbia happened I couldn't begin to tell you where I was or what I was doing, in fact until last night watching a tv program I couldn't have told you what month it happened. So yeah I think the Shuttle missions have become routine and mundane.

I wish them luck on this one, sounds like the Hubble is getting it last service visit ever, which in a way is kind of sad.

[asp_125]

My sister managed the Hubble project at NCAR and she'd bring back patches from the STS missions when they sent that thing into space. That program employed a lot of people in the front range. Sad to see it become another relic of space junk orbiting the earth. Maybe we can put frickin laser beams and a big focusing mirror on it like in James Bond.

[dirkterrell]

Sad to see it become another relic of space junk orbiting the earth.

Actually the plan is to deorbit it and let it burn up. Personally I'd rather see them bring it back and display it at the Air and Space museum. It is an important part of cultural history.

Dirk

[y_merkle]

Actually the plan is to deorbit it and let it burn up. Personally I'd rather see them bring it back and display it at the Air and Space museum. It is an important part of cultural history.

Dirk

I agree. Also sad to see the shuttle program come to an end but it is really time for something more innovative. Heard a few ideas they have in mind but nothing concrete. It will be interesting to see.

[Pandora-11]

My sister managed the Hubble project at NCAR and she'd bring back patches from the STS missions when they sent that thing into space. That program employed a lot of people in the front range. Sad to see it become another relic of space junk orbiting the earth. Maybe we can put frickin laser beams and a big focusing mirror on it like in James Bond.

Photos from the Hubble

http://www.comcast.net/slideshow/new...ce-galaxies/4/

[Nick_Ninja]

I hope you can get the NASA channel. Good stuff

[y_merkle]

I hope you can get the NASA channel. Good stuff

Yeah it can be pretty exciting at times. Today was all about grabbing the Hubble. Good stuff indeed!

[Nick_Ninja]

Photos:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/200...ng_missio.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/200...ue_hubble.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sh...sm4/index.html

[asp_125]

WOW! What great photos.