Final Space Shuttle Launch: Live HD Feed
by leavingwt 18 Replies latest social current
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Dagney
**sniff**
Kind of sad.
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leavingwt
Just watched it. Hard to believe that it's the last launch. I now wish I had gone to the cape to see one launch, in person.
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shamus100
IT BLEW UP!!!!!!
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shamus100
Oh no, wait, that was the other one...
Nevermind...
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botchtowersociety
I was going to go, but couldn't make it. I am glad the SS is over, it needs to be replaced by a better, privately developed vehicle. And it will be.
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botchtowersociety
Plus, for non human cargo and fuel to LEO at 5% of current launch costs. Space gun.
Fuel depot for deep space exploration:
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unshackled
The sad part isn't that its the shuttles final flight, its that there is no replacement ready to continue space exploration.
When they phased out Gemini, there was the Apollo program waiting.
When Apollo program ended, there was the shuttle waiting.
Shuttle program is over...and...The US military spends as much in 23 days as NASA spends in a year - and that's when we're not fighting a war.
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Dagney
One of the best days I ever had was with a fellow JWN poster at an open house at JPL in May. I was awestuck at the discovery and knowledge of the space program. Just loved every minute of it.
I would have loved to see the launch today in person.
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botchtowersociety
The sad part isn't that its the shuttles final flight, its that there is no replacement ready to continue space exploration.
Yes there is, there is SpaceX's Falcon rocket with the Dragon space capsule. First manned flight of Dragon is scheduled for 2014.
SPACEX WINS NASA CONTRACT TO COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCCESSOR TO THE SPACE SHUTTLE
First Astronaut Mission Expected in Three Years
http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20110419
In the meantime, Falcon will be flying unmanned space station resupply missions. SpaceX has the NASA contract.
The last manned mission for Apollo was 1975. We didn't put another human in space until the first Shuttle mission in 1981. That was an 6 year drought.
It will be a 3 year hiatus this go round. That isn't that bad.
I have to say it, I approve of Obama's policy. Let NASA worry about real space exploration. Getting to LEO isn't exploration any more.
