Live Coverage of the last Shuttle Mission

[spasmo]

For those interested in the space program, here's live coverage of the last shuttle mission.

STS-135: The Last Shuttle Mission

 

[shibumiseeker]

Been watching it avidly.

Hoping the weather doesn't delay it!

 

[Scutter01]

I hate that our space program is dead after this. Good job killing science, engineering, manufacturing, and everything else that made America great, USG!

 

[spasmo]

Less than one hour before the last space flight.

 

[Fordtough25]

I wasn't aware this was it for the space program!?! Thanks for the heads up, I will try and watch it!

 

[redneckmedic]

I think its a good time for a NASA slowdown, fiscally speaking. However its toward the back of the line of so many other Government programs/agencies.

 

[redneckmedic]

36 mins until Launch.... FYI

 

[shibumiseeker]

I wasn't aware this was it for the space program!?! Thanks for the heads up, I will try and watch it!

It's not it for the space program, it's it for the shuttle program.

As much as I LOVE the shuttle, it's an aging technology and it's time for us, the US, to come up with something better. What I fear is this will be used as an excuse to throttle back the space program in general.

The US Space Program has better return on investment than the military without as much death and desctruction.

 

[96firephoenix]

we went from the first manned flight to the shuttle in 22 years. we have not made any advances in the last 30 years. it is time to move on.

PS <5 minutes!

 

[spasmo]

T - 1 Minute til lift off...

 

[rjstew317]

t - 00:31 and holding......................

 

[rjstew317]

here we go....................

 

[96firephoenix]

link stalled just after booster detach... anybody else have that happen?

Edit: got it back after ~2 minutes. was kinda worried about why it had stalled.

 

[spasmo]

Yeah communication was lost but should be back up now.

 

[stilllearning09]

Was watching on TV. Now back to your regular programming...

 

[rjstew317]

anyone else notice that big piece that fell off when they detached from the external fuel tank? hope it wasn't important

 

[Lucas156]

this isn't the end of the space program for sure. They still have the black space program that no one sees and has unlimited funding. Rest assured that part of it will still be fully operational.

 

[Scutter01]

It's not it for the space program, it's it for the shuttle program.

The best people NASA has are leaving in droves. The entire space program will suffer as a result.

As much as I LOVE the shuttle, it's an aging technology and it's time for us, the US, to come up with something better. What I fear is this will be used as an excuse to throttle back the space program in general.

It's true that the shuttle has far-outlived its technological lifespan (and in fact was used far in excess of its original design mandate), however the US Government has also killed the programs that were supposed to develop the replacement technology. That's not something you can easily recover from. It will be a MINIMUM of ten years to ramp back up enough to have Americans in space again, without relying on the Russians or the Chinese. And that 10-year clock doesn't start ticking until Congress re-finances the project.

The US Space Program has better return on investment than the military without as much death and desctruction.

NASA has returned as much as 1000% on its investments in many cases. Most of the time, it's 200-300%.