THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: THINK ABOUT IT 02

IN HONOR OF THE FINAL SPACE MISSION FOR QUITE SOME TIME TO COME I FIGURED I WOULD WRITE A LITTLE SOMETHING ON THE WHOLE SHUTTLE PROGRAM.

TODAY IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL TO LAUNCH A SHUTTLE, DO SOME REALLY COOL SPACE STUFF IN SAID SHUTTLE, AND HAVE IT COME BACK DOWN LIKE AN AIRPLANE.

IT'S NOT A WOW MOMENT FOR HUMAN KIND! AS MUCH AS I'M ABOUT TO SO SHOW MY AGE LET ME TELL YOU THE WORLD STOPPED EVERYTHING WHEN THE FIRST ONE IN FACT DID.

TO GIVE YOU SOME SORT OF PERSPECTIVE IN RECENT EVENT TERMS THAT DID COME CLOSE TO THIS TIME ... THINK 9/11 AND THAT STILL DOESN'T GIVE IT THE SAME 'HOLY CRAP' MOMENT! THE WHOLE WORLD DID NOT STOP FOR 9/11 AND HAVE A 'WHOA THAT'S COOL' THOUGHT!

WORK STOPPED

TEACHERS STOPPED THEIR LESSONS TO LET EVERYONE WATCH THIS 'SPACE SHIP' LAUNCH AND LAND

BREATHS WERE HELD WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN

WE ALL HERE ON EARTH SAW OUR LITTLE DOT CHANGE INTO A BIGGER AREA OF POSSIBLITY

WE WERE ALL IN AWE

THE WONDER WORE OFF SOMEWHAT AS SOON AS THE NEXT ONE WENT UP ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL AWESOME DON'T GET ME WRONG.

FLASH FORWARD TO THE END OF THE SHUTTLE MISSIONS AND WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED NOW. NOW IF YOU HAVE A GAZILLION BUCKS YOU CAN CALL UP RICHARD BRANSON.

WE DON'T STOP WORK

WE KEEP ON TEACHING

WE DON'T SKIP A BREATH

WE SEE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO UP WITH THE ABOVE MENTIONED BANK ROLL IF WE REALLY CHOSE TO

HOW COOL IS THAT?

THE LIBRARY OF MY HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT TO TAKE A MAKEUP TEST

THAT'S WHERE I WAS WHEN THE CHALLENGER SPACE SHUTTLE BLEW UP.

ALONG WITH THE NORMAL ASTRONAUTS; A REGULAR JOE SCHMO TEACHER CHRISTA McAULIFFE GOT A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME (NO DISRESPECT INTENDED) AND WAS ON THE SHUTTLE.

WORK STOPPED

TEACHERS STOPPED THEIR LESSONS TO LET EVERYONE WATCH

BREATHS WERE HELD

WE WERE IN SHOCK AND MOURNED AT THE LOSS AS A WHOLE

WE WERE REMINDED WE WERE NOT READY TO VENTURE AND EXPLORE JUST QUITE YET.

ACCORDING TO WIKI IT WAS STATED 85% OF ALL AMERICA FOUND OUT WITHIN AN HOUR. KEEP IN MIND WHEN SAYING SOMETHING LIKE HOW DID IT TAKE THAT LONG? WE WERE THINKING CALL WAITING AND THREE WAY CALLING WAS THE BEST THING EVER!

THAT WAS ALL IN WORD OF MOUTH TIME FOLKS SO THAT WAS MIND BLOWING FAST AT THE TIME.

WHEN THE COLUMBIA SPACE SHUTTLE BLEW UP WE ALREADY HAD THE EXPERIENCE AND HAD LEANED ON THAT TO COPE.

MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE COME ABOUT WITH THIS PROGRAM AND I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION THEM. I'D HAVE TO GO DO SOME DIGGING TO BE ABLE TO NAME THEM ALL SO GO GOOGLE IT IF YOU FEEL THE NEED. BOTTOM LINE WE CAME ONE STEP CLOSER TO AN AIRPORT LIKE ENVIRONMENT WHEN IT COMES TO SPACE.

IT WON'T HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME AND PROBABLY A FEW MORE BEFORE WE CAN. BUT WE CAN SEE BEING ABLE TO HAVE MANY A DREAM COME TRUE BECAUSE OF IT.

I TRULY CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT NASA HAS IN STORE FOR HUMANS ALONG WITH EVEN RUSSIA. I'D GIVE UP THE WORLD TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WILL GET THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL TO AND FROM SPACE. IT'S ON MY BUCKET LIST I ASSURE YOU ALL.

TOMORROW IF ALL GOES WELL STS-135 AKA ATLANTIS WILL TRAVEL BACK TO OUR LITTLE EARTH JUST AT 6 AM. I WILL BE UP WATCHING IT WITH GOOSE BUMPS. I WILL PROBABLY TEAR UP LIKE I ALWAYS DO WHEN WATCHING THE EVENT.

I WILL HOLD MY BREATH

I WILL STILL BE IN AWE

PICTURES OF ATLANTIS MISSION

ALL PIX WERE TAKEN FROM NASA.GOV

IF YOU WANT A BETTER DESCRIPTION FOR THE PIX JUST CLICK THE LINKS

GETTING IT IN PLACE FOR LAUNCH THE DAY BEFORE

GOING UP AS SEEN FROM NASA TRAINING AIRCRAFT

UP UP AND AWAY


AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (LOOK TO THE RIGHT)

POSING AT ISS AND TURNING A BACK FLIP FOR DOCKING

TAKEN FROM THE OUTPOST BY ONE OF THE CREWMEMBERS

AT THE ISS PREPARING TO DOCK OVER THE BAHAMAS

JUST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST WANTED TO SAY HI

SPACEWALKING

EXPEDITION 28 CREW

THE FINAL FOUR CREW SIGNATURES ON HARDWARE DURING TRAINING

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AS SEEN FROM ATLANTIS

THE SOUTHERN LIGHTS AS SEEN FROM THE ISS

THE TRADITIONAL MICROGRAVITY CIRCLE ABOARD THE ISS
THE U.S. FLAG WAS FLOWN UP IN THE FIRST SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT AND WILL REMAIN ABOARD THE ISS UNTIL WE ARE ABLE RETRIEVE IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.