Watching the final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis brought a mix of emotions yesterday. Pride, sadness and awe among them. The fact that people are willing to strap themselves into a rocket and leave the planet for extended periods of time is mind boggling to me. The space shuttles have flown 135 missions since 1981. Two of those missions ended tragically with the loss of crew and shuttle, the Challenger in 1986 and the Columbia in 2003. Succesful missions have included the first US woman in space, the deployment of the Hubble telescope and participation in the development of the International Space Station.
The craft is truly a marvel of engineering and it's final flight leaves a legacy of exploration, courage and vision that we can only hope to continue as the future of manned space flight is now said to be dependant on the private sector for continued development and growth. To those who have contributed to the shuttle program this should be a moment of great pride.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly Virginia you can see one of these marvels up close. I hope you will be as impressed as I was.
Salute and safe return Atlantis!
Update: Atlantis returned safely to Earth today, 7/21/2011. Mission accomplished.
these are wonderful...I have never seen them..Did you see in the news part on the Columbia was found in a dried up lake yesterday?
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