WELCOME HOME ATLANTIS !
Jul 21st, 2011 | 4 responses
After 30 years and 135 missions the Space Shuttle program is at an end.
The shuttle Atlantis made a picture perfect landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:56am (EST) ending its final mission and the final mission of the shuttle program. For the time being the United States will step out of the manned space launch program, though we will continue to send people to the International Space Station aboard Russian rockets.
Certainly the decision to step out of the program is one worth discussion but for now I think we are well served by congratulating the astronauts and giving a big well done to three decades of exploration.
On a side note, today is also the 50th anniversary of the launch of Mercury IV which sent Gus Grissom into a 15 minute sub orbital flight. So it is also worth considering the progress made in those five decades
The other TMV writers and I will be providing additional posts reviewing the Shuttle Program as well as the future of US Space Flight as the day and week progresses. But for now, a big WELCOME HOME to Atlantis.
4 Responses to “WELCOME HOME ATLANTIS !”
Phew.
I supported the shuttle program through its whole run, but I am relieved the last one landed safely and the program has run its course.
I’ve been fearful of every shuttle mission since Columbia.
If it’s one thing we do poorly, is end one program and begin another that is more appropriate, more effective, more advanced. We seem to want to hold on to the old and resist doing anything new.
Fear of change is a big drag on the country, and in our government-funded science projects.
I notice how no progressives have noticed that at the same time that President Obama is stating that the U.S. nees more STEM degreed college graduates that defense, aerospace, NASA, health care, manufacturing, and mineral extraction are all laying people off and that were fewer jobs for STEM majors.
I wonder what the U.S. will be like in 30-50 years with no high tech base, no manufacturing, a massive number of social workers, educators, lawyers, and with most of the population living at third world levels. Will all of the elites move to some other country and let the U.S. become Norte Mexico?
Maybe some day we will be able to afford an invigorated space program again. God willing, the creeks don’t rise, or we don’t make anymore invasions.
I do share the fears on the Shuttle, I was never comfortable on any lauch until SRBS or MECO.
But I would have hoped we’d have a new program well into development before this one ended.