any one see the launch tonite

[Shelby]

i was hopeing to get a glimpse but too many clouds

[UlrichWolf]

It was?

 

(I should be ashamed....I'm not exactly "Mr. Current Events")

 

Tim

[SubZero]

It was?

 

(I should be ashamed....I'm not exactly "Mr. Current Events")

 

Tim

 

 

I'm with Tim, in the dark with most current events, last meaning it will be replaced or they're are just pulling the plug?

[007]

I'm with Tim, in the dark with most current events, last meaning it will be replaced or they're are just pulling the plug?

 

 

Yes, its gonna be retiring. They should just leave it at the space station and have another one pick them up.

Edited February 25, 2011 by 7

[Robert_n_family]

While we've done quite a bit of investigating into deep space in the recent past, the shuttle's have been quite a let down to the general public. While billions upon billions of dollars kept getting dumped into them, very little changed except testing instruments.

 

Compare the shuttle Discovery with the exploded Challenger, with Atlantis, with any of them. It appears design hasn't changed in 30 years. Of course I have zero idea what I'm talking about and am only going on appearance, but I would think in 30 years changes in appearance would have been made. I wonder...if they invented a Veyron 30 years ago, would it be changed by now?

 

Maybe they are retiring them to redo the fleet with newer models that can travel farther than just outside our immediate orbit. Who knows..

[Fla88ESI-R]

Shelby; Yeah we could see the vapor trail from here in St.Pete once it got above the clouds. Like the night launches best however.

[007]

While we've done quite a bit of investigating into deep space in the recent past, the shuttle's have been quite a let down to the general public. While billions upon billions of dollars kept getting dumped into them, very little changed except testing instruments.

 

Compare the shuttle Discovery with the exploded Challenger, with Atlantis, with any of them. It appears design hasn't changed in 30 years. Of course I have zero idea what I'm talking about and am only going on appearance, but I would think in 30 years changes in appearance would have been made. I wonder...if they invented a Veyron 30 years ago, would it be changed by now?

 

Maybe they are retiring them to redo the fleet with newer models that can travel farther than just outside our immediate orbit. Who knows..

 

why would looks have anything to do with the performance, it was alot lighter than the other shuttles and as you can see going to space isn't cheap. Its been redone a few times bc of improvements found from other shuttles. Its the most successful shuttle yet, so for the public to see it as a failure is pretty funny. How about the billions and billions that get lost in the system everyday or our billiion dollar wars. And the Veyron 30 yrs ago would still be fugly and not worth the asking price. These are discovery's missions....

 

1 1984 August 30 STS-41-D First Discovery mission: Launched two communications satellites, including LEASAT F2. 6 days, 00 hours,

56 minutes, 04 seconds

2 1984 November 8 STS-51-A Launched two and rescued two communications satellites including LEASAT F1. 7 days, 23 hours,

44 minutes, 56 seconds

3 1985 January 24 STS-51-C Launched DOD Magnum ELINT satellite. 3 days, 01 hours,

33 minutes, 23 seconds-

4 1985 April 12 STS-51-D Launched two communications satellites including LEASAT F3. 6 days, 23 hours,

55 minutes, 23 seconds

5 1985 June 17 STS-51-G Launched two communications satellites, Sultan Salman al-Saud becomes first Saudi Arabian in space. 7 days, 01 hours,

38 minutes, 52 seconds

6 1985 August 27 STS-51-I Launched two communications satellites including LEASAT F4. Recovered, repaired, and redeployed LEASAT F3. 7 days, 02 hours,

17 minutes, 42 seconds

7 1988 September 29 STS-26 Return to flight after Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, launched TDRS. 4 days, 01 hours,

00 minutes, 11 seconds

8 1989 March 13 STS-29 Launched TDRS. 4 days, 23 hours,

38 minutes, 52 seconds

9 1989 November 22 STS-33 Launched DOD Magnum ELINT satellite. 5 days, 00 hours,

06 minutes, 49 seconds

10 1990 April 24 STS-31 Launch of Hubble Space Telescope (HST). 5 days, 01 hours,

16 minutes, 06 seconds

11 1990 October 6 STS-41 Launch of Ulysses. 4 days, 02 hours,

10 minutes, 04 seconds

12 1991 April 28 STS-39 Launched DOD Air Force Program-675 (AFP675) satellite. 8 days, 07 hours,

22 minutes, 23 seconds

13 1991 September 12 STS-48 Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). 5 days, 08 hours,

27 minutes, 38 seconds

14 1992 January 22 STS-42 International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1). 8 days, 01 hours,

14 minutes, 44 seconds

15 1992 December 2 STS-53 Department of Defense payload. 7 days, 07 hours,

19 minutes, 47 seconds

16 1993 April 8 STS-56 Atmospheric Laboratory (ATLAS-2). 9 days, 06 hours,

08 minutes, 24 seconds

17 1993 September 12 STS-51 Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). 9 days, 20 hours,

11 minutes, 11 seconds

18 1994 February 3 STS-60 Wake Shield Facility (WSF). 7 days, 06 hours,

08 minutes, 36 seconds

19 1994 September 9 STS-64 LIDAR In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE). 10 days, 22 hours,

49 minutes, 57 seconds

20 1995 February 3 STS-63 Rendezvous with Mir space station. 8 days, 06 hours,

29 minutes, 36 seconds

21 1995 July 13 STS-70 7th Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS). 8 days, 22 hours,

20 minutes, 05 seconds

22 1997 February 11 STS-82 Servicing Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (HSM-2). 9 days, 23 hours,

38 minutes, 09 seconds

23 1997 August 7 STS-85 Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes. 11 days, 20 hours,

28 minutes, 07 seconds

24 1998 June 2 STS-91 Final Shuttle/Mir Docking Mission. 9 days, 19 hours,

55 minutes, 01 seconds

25 1998 October 29 STS-95 SPACEHAB, second flight of John Glenn, Pedro Duque becomes first Spaniard in space. 8 days, 21 hours,

44 minutes, 56 seconds

26 1999 May 27 STS-96 Resupply mission for the International Space Station. 9 days, 19 hours,

13 minutes, 57 seconds

27 1999 December 19 STS-103 Servicing Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (HSM-3A). 7 days, 23 hours,

11 minutes, 34 seconds

28 2000 October 11 STS-92 International Space Station Assembly Flight (carried and assembled the Z1 truss); 100th Shuttle mission. 12 days, 21 hours,

43 minutes, 47 seconds

29 2001 March 8 STS-102 International Space Station crew rotation flight (Expedition 1 and Expedition 2) 12 days, 19 hours,

51 minutes, 57 seconds

30 2001 August 10 STS-105 International Space Station crew and supplies delivery (Expedition 2 and Expedition 3) 11 days 21 hours,

13 minutes, 52 seconds

31 2005 July 26 STS-114 Return to flight since Space Shuttle Columbia disaster; International Space Station (ISS) supplies delivery, new safety procedures testing and evaluation, Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Raffaello. 13 days, 21 hours,

33 minutes, 00 seconds

32 2006 July 4 STS-121 Second return to flight since Space Shuttle Columbia disaster; International Space Station (ISS) supplies delivery, test new safety and repair techniques. 12 days, 18 hours,

37 minutes, 54 seconds

33 2006 December 9 STS-116 ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the P5 truss segment); Last flight to launch on pad 39-B;

First night launch since Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. 12 days, 20 hours,

44 minutes, 16 seconds

34 2007 October 23 STS-120 ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the Harmony module). 15 days, 02 hours,

23 minutes, 55 seconds

35 2008 May 31 STS-124 ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the Kibō JEM PM module). 13 days, 18 hours,

13 minutes, 07 seconds

36 2009 March 15 STS-119 International Space Station crew rotation and assembly of a fourth

starboard truss segment (ITS S6) and a fourth set of solar arrays and batteries. Also replaced a failed unit for a system that converts urine to drinking water. 12 days, 19 hours,

29 minutes, 33 seconds

37 2009 August 28 STS-128 International Space Station crew rotation and ISS resupply using the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. Also carried the C.O.L.B.E.R.T treadmill named after Stephen Colbert 13 days 20 hours, 54 minutes, 40 seconds

38 2010 April 5 STS-131 ISS resupply using the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. The mission also marked the 1st time that 4 women were in space & the 1st time that 2 Japanese astronauts were together in space. 15 days 2 hours, 47 minutes,

10 seconds‡

39 2011 February 24 STS-133 The mission launched at 4:53 p.m. EST on February 24, is carrying the Pressurized Multipurpose Module (PMM) Leonardo, the ELC-4 and Robonaut 2 to the ISS. This is the final mission for Space Shuttle Discovery. [5] 11 days (Planned)

[Burton]

 

Maybe they are retiring them to redo the fleet with newer models that can travel farther than just outside our immediate orbit. Who knows..

 

 

That's what I heard. NASA has been working on the next generation of space travel by trying to go back to the moon as well as further out in our solar system, among other things. Unfortunately with the govt. slashing funding to NASA, all of that has pretty much been put on hold. Be looking for the private sector to take over space exploration, because without govt. funds, NASA'a dead in the water.

[IntercooledFlatty]

what pisses me off is a launch was scheduled last sept. 16, i booked a week vacation in disney, then the mission was scrubbed bummer...

[Fanta]

what pisses me off is a launch was scheduled last sept. 16, i booked a week vacation in disney, then the mission was scrubbed bummer...

 

I know - I almost took off work to go see it.

 

That being said, two more launches left pretty much for the remaining shuttles.

 

This photo was taken from a passenger plane of the launch

 

http://i.imgur.com/CtJoDl.jpg

[Shelby]

when we can see them , you can even see the fire under the rockets and thats from over 70 miles away in the day time, i've watch'd a couple right after sun set launches , incrediable sight for sure

[Robert_n_family]

I would love to see one of the few remaining ones. Truly a memorable experience as when they are gone, they will be gone.

 

I watched a show about the private sector as Burton was saying. Seems the guy from Virgin has that mostly under wraps and is leading the way. Trying to make an "economy" space flight for the general public. I wonder what an economy flight would cost? Didn't that backstreet boy guy pay the russians like a mil or something to shoot him into space for a day?