Friday, July 8, 2011

End of an era: Space shuttle Atlantis launched - Now what?


I hope you got to watch the launch of Space shuttle Atlantis on its last flight to the ISS.
Should be back in 12 days and then an era ends.

For the Apollo missions there was a goal to go to the Moon and return safely before the Russians did the same.
They had already sent spacecraft there and there was national pride at stake so better do it right.

Then the Apollo missions were cut short so that money could be spent on making a shuttle that could make a space station, and carry satellites, and do a bit of everything.
That changed over time and missions adjusted after the two shuttle disasters.

Now Space shuttle Atlantis will do a belly role for a good look over when it gets to the ISS.  Am I still is one piece, no tiles damaged?
More cameras have given us a better look too, but never mind, won't need to do that any more.
- LRK -

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Space Shuttle Era

NASA's space shuttle fleet began setting records with its first launch on April 12, 1981 and continues to set high marks of achievement and endurance. Starting with Columbia and continuing with Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour, the spacecraft has carried people into orbit repeatedly, launched, recovered and repaired satellites, conducted cutting-edge research and built the largest structure in space, the International Space Station.

As humanity's first reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle pushed the bounds of discovery ever farther, requiring not only advanced technologies but the tremendous effort of a vast workforce. Thousands of civil servants and contractors throughout NASA's field centers and across the nation have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to mission success and the greater goal of space exploration.

On this page, you'll find a collection of feature stories and videos documenting space shuttle operations. You'll also receive an insider's perspective of what it takes to maintain and fly this technological marvel. We'll continue to add stories and videos to this collection, so check regularly for new content. 

[New content will probably be limited now. - LRK -]
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You should be able to find a number of articles about this last shuttle mission.
- LRK -

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End of an era: Space shuttle Atlantis launched

Astronauts head into space on the final shuttle take-off, the last launch in a 30-year program.

BY FRANCES ROBLES

FROBLES@MIAMIHERALD.COM

CAPE CANAVERAL -- Atlantis lifted off for the final time Friday, marking the end of the nation’s space program and a way of life in a town where shuttles soared from shore to stars for 30 years.
With a thunderous roar and plume of smoke, Atlantis — also known as STS-135 — ended a nail-biting countdown and took off at 11:29 a.m., just over two minutes late. With heavy hearts and watery eyes, engineers gave the go, ordering the shuttle’s launch despite rules about remnants of rain and a minor technical mishap that arose just 31 seconds before liftoff.
The bright glare lasted 42 seconds before the vessel was swallowed by a low-hanging cloud. Atlantis headed for a 12-day mission to bring supplies to the International Space Station, capping an aerospace program dogged by elevated costs and two tragedies. The mission was bittersweet, as the crews that made it happen rejoiced in a successful launch and mourned the end of an American tradition.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/08/2305126/space-shuttle-atlantis-ready-for.html#ixzz1RZjBiEJi

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A lot of people watched this last shuttle launch, as did I on NASA TV and CSPAN.
Maybe you did too.
- LRK -

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NASA Launches Space Shuttle on Historic Final Mission

By Mike Wall , SPACE.com Senior Writer Space.com | SPACE.com – 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The space shuttle Atlantis soared into the heavens and the history books Friday (July 8), kicking off the last-ever mission of NASA's storied shuttle program.
Despite a bleak forecast of thunderstorms and clouds, the shuttle beat the weather in a stunning midday launch, sailing into the sky on one final voyage. The coutndown toward liftoff took a dramatic pause at T minus 31 seconds while ground crews verified that a vent arm at the top of the shuttle was fully retracted. NASA was quickly able to push on toward liftoff.
Atlantis blasted off at 11:29 a.m. EDT (1529 GMT) from Launch Pad 39A here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, thrilling huge throngs of spectators who had descended on Florida's Space Coast to see the swan song of an American icon. NASA estimated that between 750,000 and 1 million people turned out to watch history unfold before their eyes.

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So where does NASA think it will be going as it begins a New Era without the shuttle?
- LRK -

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NASA Chief: Final Shuttle Launch Begins New Era
In an exclusive interview with The Root, Charles Bolden talks future space missions (think Mars) and the importance of black astronauts.

When the space shuttle Atlantisblasts off on Friday, it will mark the final NASA shuttle mission ever. But the shuttering of the 30-year-old program isn't the end of American space exploration -- in fact, according to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, it makes way for the creation of new designs that will take us deeper into orbit. In the meantime, the agency will partner with the Russian space program to continue sending American astronauts into space. (At the same time, NASA will aid in the development of a privately run space shuttle industry.)

The Root spoke with Bolden, the first African American to lead NASA, about why he thinks traveling to Mars is critical to the nation, his efforts to recruit more astronauts of color and how the final shuttle mission on Friday may leave him a bit teary-eyed.
The Root: The final shuttle launch is being lamented as the end of an era. Do you think America loses something by giving up the shuttle flights?
CB: Quite the contrary. I think we are poised on the beginning of another era. As you mentioned, we are ending an incredible 30-year era of the shuttle, which has brought in incredible advances in human exploration, technological advances and the like. However, since I became the NASA administrator [in 2009], our goal has been to safely close out the shuttle program.
That started in the previous administration back in 2004, and we're finally reaching an orderly progression of winding that program down. We're off now on the venture of exploration, trying to get humans beyond the world's orbit -- as the president has asked us to do -- onto an asteroid by 2025 and then to Mars by the 2030s.
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And what say President Obama?
- LRK -

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Obama marks end of shuttle era, urges NASA to 'break new boundaries'

By James Oliphant
July 8, 2011, 12:19 p.m.

President Obama on Friday marked the passing of an era of manned space flight, lauding not only the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis but the men and women who have supported NASA's efforts for more than 30 years.

"Behind Atlantis and her crew of brave astronauts stand thousands of dedicated workers who have poured their hearts and souls into America’s space shuttle program over the past three decades. To them and all of NASA’s incredible workforce, I want to express my sincere gratitude. You helped our country lead the space age, and you continue to inspire us each day," Obama said in a statement from the White House.

Atlantis blasted off from the Florida coast Friday morning. It was the 135th -- and last -- shuttle mission. Obama wants to shift the space agency's focus to manned flights to an asteroid and perhaps Mars, although the climate of budget austerity in Washington is likely to make achieving those goals more challenging.

"Today’s launch may mark the final flight of the space shuttle, but it propels us into the next era of our never-ending adventure to push the very frontiers of exploration and discovery in space," the president said. "We’ll drive new advances in science and technology. We’ll enhance knowledge, education, innovation and economic growth. And I have tasked the men and women of NASA with an ambitious new mission: to break new boundaries in space exploration, ultimately sending Americans to Mars. I know they are up to the challenge -- and I plan to be around to see it."

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Hmmmm, I feel better already. NOT!
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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