Welcome Home Baby

Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:05 pm

I have been lucky enough to see her three times. The odds are very slim that I will see her again. The shuttle program is nearing the end. Today like the other times she made her presence heard and felt with a very loud double sonic boom. Straight up over your head you see a white speck and very quickly that speck looms into the viewfinder and dives at an unbelievably steep angle and at the last possible moment the gear drops and she is down with a puff of smoke from the mains. It takes all of two minutes.

Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:14 pm

The money squandered on that debacle over the years could have quite possibly cured a dreaded disease or two.....Lets build an "earth station" next and really get something done!!!!

Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:25 pm

REGINALD VON GLEASON III wrote:The money squandered on that debacle over the years could have quite possibly cured a dreaded disease or two.....Lets build an "earth station" next and really get something done!!!!

A recovering what???? Easy on those mixed drinks Reg!

Fri Jun 22, 2007 8:19 pm

REGINALD VON GLEASON III wrote:The money squandered on that debacle over the years could have quite possibly cured a dreaded disease or two.....Lets build an "earth station" next and really get something done!!!!

Some of the best money EVER spent in my opinion. The line by line spin-off benefits would fill this message board to capacity. It's a shame the program is nearings it's end. Atlantis has two more flights before her retirement :cry:

Don't even get me started on the pre-mature ending of Apollo...

Great pictures! Thanks for posting them...

Fri Jun 22, 2007 10:47 pm

My dream was to fly the shuttle when I was younger, glad to see her home safe!

GREAT shots too!

Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:44 pm

Here is a pretty good list of the things that we here on earth have gained from the space program.

http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spino ... l#computer

Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:46 pm

Theres somthing about the Space Shuttle that just gets me everytime. It's such an accomplishment!

Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:43 am

when I was a kid I went to a shuttle lift off -- STS 13 I believe--
Nothing has ever compared to it in terms of sheer grand scale. I have always been sort of hard to impress or scare, but watching that rumbling spitting ball of fire reaching for the sky at the top of a growing tower of water vapor was just...humbling. Th Earth shook for miles around and at first no one could say anything. We just stood there stupified. Then someone started clapping and our applause rolled across the everglades. It was the best day of my young life.

Anyone who thinks we should have spent the money elsewhere has neither experienced a liftoff, nor used velcro.

Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:57 am

REGINALD VON GLEASON III wrote:The money squandered on that debacle over the years could have quite possibly cured a dreaded disease or two.....Lets build an "earth station" next and really get something done!!!!

WHAT...??!!

(Taken from a "Caveman" Commercial.)

Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:12 am

I didn't know she was landing in CA and got a jolt when the sonic booms hit us in San Diego!

Trying to catch a nap after lunch and the booms hit! Man, I must have jumped about six feet off that chair! And my boss is still laughing!!

Proud to have her on California soil!

Sat Jun 23, 2007 5:47 am

Man...they really hold off putting the gear down until the last second, don't they? I know they can't go around but wow.

Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:02 am

For those that are interested, after Atlantis (the first shuttle to stand down) is retired (and before she is sent to museum oblivion) she will become a cann bird to support the other two orbiters...

This from Nasaspacefilght.com...

Wayne Hale (NASA) revealed the plans on how it (Atlantis) would be retired after STS-125: It would be put into an OPF (orbiter processing facility) bay, powered and fed with purge air, so the systems would be in good condition for parts to be robbed. :cry:

Plans were also in place to get some canned bits off very quickly, to help with inventory issues.

She will not be in a condition where they could put her back in the air quickly, for say a Launch on need (rescue). :cry:

Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:07 am

Which museum is she going to? I think the NMUSAF is getting Discovery. I can't see the NASM getting another shuttle, even though the one they have didn't fly in space, it is still very historic.

Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:10 am

An idea I always had was instead of a dontation to the presidents fund or wildlife for our tax returns..........I wish it had a donation box to the space program..................I would give every YR!!!

Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:20 am

mustangdriver wrote:Which museum is she going to? I think the NMUSAF is getting Discovery. I can't see the NASM getting another shuttle, even though the one they have didn't fly in space, it is still very historic.

Nothing set in stone yet but the rumor (subject to change) is:

Atlantis - Goes to the NASM Hazy Center.

Enterprise - Transfers to the Seattle Museum of Flight.

Discovery - Goes to the NMUSAF at Wright-Patt.

Endeavour - Goes to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex (one of the orbiter processing facilities might be made into a display center - it's proximity to the Vehicle Assembly Building is a problem).

This is speculation and I wouldn't place money on any of it yet. One stipulation is that the orbiters MUST be displayed indoors - no gate-guard duty for these birds :wink: