Space shuttle returns to space - finally

luvtorun

luvtorun

Cathlete
As many times as I have watched the shuttle lift off, it never ceases to amaze and fascinate me. I watched the first launch back in the 80's and I was watching the re-entry on that terrible February day 2 1/2 years ago when tragedy struck. I also know exactly where I was when I heard the news of the Challenger tradegy.
Americans have the innate ability to persevere in the fact of tragedy and setbacks. Just feeling a little proud this morning.
 
I had the live video going on my PC as well. Love to watch and crossed my fingers for a safe flight. It is amazing every time.
 
hey I was at work and waled outside. Not the best view but you can see it and feel it all the way from cape canaveral over here in orlando. There were alot of us outside for it actually :)

~Angel
 
I've always been fascinated with the space program once I got old enough to be aware of it. Glad to see that things went smoothly.:)
 
I now get the NASA station and have seen conversations and video with the crew. Takeoff went well but it looks like this foam insulation stripping off during liftoff is still a problem. Hope it doesn't bode badly during reentry.
 
They're saying this a.m. that they are ok to reenter. But apparently, they changed the chemical formulation of the foam tiles a few years ago to not make them with freon, and that's when the tile problem started happening. It's a shame that the entire shuttle fleet is grounded again. So frustrating, especially given that way back when NASA was first proposing space programs to follow Sky Lab (anyone remember Sky Lab? We HAD a space station back then but didn't want to continue to fund it. x( )....anyhow, the shuttles were _not_ considered the best design--just the cheapest.
 
I know, this is sooooo frustrating!!! I follow the space program and am so interested in it. The plans to retire the shuttle fleet in 2010 makes this even more frustrating since a five year window is nothing when you are trying to fix this kind of problem. Look how long it took then to get back into space after Columbia? They are doing to the right thing though by grounding the program, nothing and I mean nothing is worth taking unnecessary risks with the lives of those that fly those shuttles.
 
I love the Space Shuttle, and the space program also. It is near and dear to me because I live in Central Florida. We went out in the backyard, not a very good visibility this time. Usually we can see it quite well. I am so glad it went up.

I was in the seventh grade watching the Challenger go up. I was at school, eating lunch outside, wondering to myself why there were streams of smoke going in two different directions. We came in to class, the TV was on, teachers were crying. I came home, my mother was crying. I won't forget that day. The Columbia was also heart wrenching of course.

Lori
 
Hi Lori,
I hear you about the space program. I'm in central florida too and I have some friends that live closer to the coast, over in port st. john and canaveral. They told me they have been look for a reason to close it for a while and have everything out in houston. I dont know if its true but I would hate to see that happen.

I wasn't here for the challenger but I remember it well, but I was here for columbia and I thought it was so wonderful that this crew took up a picture of columbia's crew as well as a momento for each one of the members. Last night, or the night before they interview the husband of one of columbia's crew and he echoed our thoughts...he was just happy to see another shuttle take off and the space program continued.

~Angel
 
I saw one on CNN, it was the husband of one of the astronauts on the Columbia. He has a little boy, and is also a scientist/astronaut. It was a very touching story.

Lori
 
The feeling around here is that NASA apparently wasted two years and still has not solved the foam problem. Bad news for the Russians, who have shouldered the load of getting people and some equipment up to the station. That's killing them financially.
 
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