Space Shuttle Atlantis

[grober]

Giving everyone a bit of notice- 2 weeks today will be your last chance ever to see a American space shuttle take off marking the end of an era of space exploration. The Atlantis will take off on Friday the 8th July with a crew of 4. Perhaps something for any "budding astronauts" among the children of forum members to say "I remember watching that" many years from now?

NASA - Space Shuttle

 

[E CLASS]

Here endeth space exploration...for ever.

The cost of getting a new programme off the ground years hence would be simply be to expensive.

 

[Nik_Endeavour]

Until they find oil somewhere on Mars. Expect a program sharpish with a few M1 Abrahams and US Marines on tow, just in case...

 

[EDZ649]

Here endeth space exploration...for ever.

The cost of getting a new programme off the ground years hence would be simply be to expensive.

The US already have a new programme under development according to the news last night.

 

[grober]

Evidently the smart money is on the Chinese for future Moon and MARS exploration. Unfortunately due the secrecy of chinese society its unlikely the rest of the world will be allowed to watch. Chinese space program - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[markjay]

Evidently the smart money is on the Chinese for future Moon and MARS exploration. Unfortunately due the secrecy of chinese society its unlikely the rest of the world will be allowed to watch. Chinese space program - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe they are already there?

 

[Godot]

Until they find oil somewhere on Mars. Expect a program sharpish with a few M1 Abrahams and US Marines on tow, just in case...

That always reminds me of the quote by their very own man of words : "God created war so that Americans would learn geography."
— Mark Twain

 

[grober]

TODAYS THE DAY! 4.26pm BST however a note of caution bad weather may delay the last space shuttle launch ---ever.

STS-135: The Last Shuttle Mission

 

[Drivenmemad]

Yes but who can remember Neil Armstrong stepping out on to the MOON what a day that was. Iwill never forget that day and as for the shuttle it is,was and always will be a fantastice bit of engernering. I also have had the exserience of seeing the shuttle when it was flowen over Heathrow meany years ago.

 

[Dryce]

Maybe they are already there?

Too late:

Alternative 3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[grober]

Some great pictures of the astronauts being strapped in. You get a real sense of launch preparation These guys + girl are pretty brave people.

 

[blondebier]

Thanks for the reminder Grober.

I found this website has some pretty good images too :

Space Shuttle Countdown Portal - Welcome

 

[stevieb15]

Some great pictures of the astronauts being strapped in. You get a real sense of launch preparation These guys + girl are pretty brave people.

+1
I hope the whole mission passes uneventfully and all these good people return safely

 

[finisterre]

ooh I didn't know about alternative 3

part 1/6 is on youtube

So far so good, I am still here anyway.

thanks for that.

 

[Alfie]

Too late:

Alternative 3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sorry to be a pedant but one cannot have 2 (or more) alternatives. The word is derived from the latin Altaire meaning choice of two. So one can have an alternative but not more than one such.

 

[BTB 500]

Sorry to be a pedant but one cannot have 2 (or more) alternatives. The word is derived from the latin Altaire meaning choice of two. So one can have an alternative but not more than one such.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary

Some traditionalists maintain that you can only have a maximum of two alternatives, because the word alternative comes from Latin alter ‘other (of two)’) and that uses where there are more than two alternatives are wrong. Such uses are , however , normal in modern standard English.

So you're a traditionalist, rather than a pedant

 

[grober]

Spectacular video of the last space shuttle landing. NASA - Multimedia - Video Gallery Unfortunately it took place at night but there's a great shot about 23 seconds in when the shuttle first hits the landing lights.