Space Shuttle Atlantis Readies Penultimate Launch
It’s a very strange thought for me to realize that the space shuttle program in about to end. After watching the Apollo 11 moon shot when I was 6 I’ve been fascinated with the US space program. It seems like the shuttles have always been with us. From test flights strapped to the back of a 747 to starting full operations in 1982 they have been the backbone of the space program. We have so much to thank the shuttle program for it’s not going to be easy to see it end.
The STS was suppose to be the next step in the evolution of space craft design and while it never delivered on the expectation of massive cost savings it certainly seemed like progress to be able to land under control on an airstrip rather than splashing down haphazardly into the ocean. Now as we watch these amazing machines retire from service they are being replaced by Orion, the Apollo capsule’s big brother.
Looks and feels like it’s back to the future all over again, at least we have amazing pictures like this one to help us remember the promise and beauty of these inspiring pieces of engineering.
Related Posts - Apple Adds Chinese Handwriting. Could this be more proof of a Mac tablet? There have been rumors flying around for months (if not years) about the "soon the be released" Apple tablet computer. The closest we've come so far to actually getting such a device has been the iPhone. Portable, connected and pretty full featured, internet-wise and built on the cult of the......
- Who do you trust with your data? #mozy #backup #tech #mac As home computer use grows from playing DOOM to the occasional email and the casual 5 min session of web surfing into something more intrinsic to what we all do all day it becomes critical that the state and the data stored on that computer be protected. As most of......
- Minority Report for the rest of us! This great talk by Pattie Maes of the MIT Fluid Interfaces Grup is really amazing. Pattie's team works on the cutting edge of user interface design and man-machine interaction. This project is focused on augmented reality but takes a much more acceptable and pragmatic approach to the subject than previous......
Related Stories from Other Websites - HASP Mortgage Relief Program Official Guidelines and Highlights Click To Download Mortgage Relief Program Official Guidelines If you ever wondered what the official Mortgage Modification Guidelines look like - click on the image on the left to view the 17-page document titled "Making Home Affordable Guidelines". We provided the highlights of the program below. "Making Home Affordable"......
- Consumption Smoothing - Spend 'til the End I have read (and continue to read) many books on retirement planning. Most of them have been on the money and financial aspects of retirement. Lately, I have taken more interest in the mental and emotional parts of retirement. I am reading a book now that addresses those specific issues.......
- Obama axes NASA moon plan in new budget [/caption] CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - President Barack Obama wants to end NASA's moon program, turn over space transportation to commercial companies and jump-start technologies needed for future human exploration of Mars and other destinations, officials said on Monday. The plan is part Obama's budget for the fiscal year to September......
Related posts:
- Minority Report for the rest of us!
- Robots: The HRP-4C Model Robot Is Programmed to Work…It
- Space Junk: Too Much Space Debris? Try a Weak Laser or a Strong Water Cannon
- Cable: Online Cable Debate Heats Up As Execs Embrace Streaming Tech, Bicker About Programming Model
- Space: Satellite Collision May Have Endangered All Future Space Launches
