History of the Space Shuttle in pictures

[Seshmeister]

Wow!

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/07/the-history-of-the-space-shuttle/100097/

[Jagermeister]

Yeah cool. It's a damn shame this is the last launch. Thanks Obama. Thanks a bunch.

[Nitro Express]

Bush and Obama decided it was more important to have wars and bail out crooked and hopeless banks instead of exploring space.

I went to a shuttle launch with my father in law in the early 90's. It's the loudest thing I ever heard in my life.

[Seshmeister]

The war in Iraq has already cost much more than a manned mission to Mars.

Plus the figures vary but it seems the US taxpayer get an amazing return back financially from spending on space, best estimates around 900%.

[VAiN]

Something else to consider... We have people on the international space station. Without the shuttle, we have to rely on the Russians. Who the fuck else is going into space?? The Russians realize this and have raised the cost of space travel a ridiculous amount with the next price increase to follow shortly after the last shuttle flight. I read in the WSJ that it now costs $64 million each time that we use their craft and we have 32 flights booked between now and 2016. That's over $2 billion.

[twonabomber]

and don't those wacky Russians still prefer to come down on land, instead of the sea?

[Nitro Express]

and don't those wacky Russians still prefer to come down on land, instead of the sea?

Ever seen a Soyuz up close? The part that comes back through the atmosphere is about the size of a large commercial clothes dryer. It fires the breaking rockets right before it hits the ground and has the tendancy to roll and bounce along the ground until it comes to a complete stop.

[Nitro Express]

The war in Iraq has already cost much more than a manned mission to Mars.

Plus the figures vary but it seems the US taxpayer get an amazing return back financially from spending on space, best estimates around 900%.

I remember Christmas morning when I was four years old and all my toys were Apollo Mission space toys. I had this big cool control module tent, the space helmut, a lunar lander thing that was cool. The computers we are using to communicate with here are all a result of the Apollo project. What's sad is the powers that be in our government decided they would rather be a war economy than an explorer economy.

[Jagermeister]

Welll it lifted off today!

Last mission.