US

NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis Embarks on Final Historical Mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Atlantis and four astronauts rocketed into orbit Friday on NASA’s last space shuttle voyage, dodging bad weather and delighting hundreds of thousands of spectators on hand to witness the end of an era.

It will be at least three years – possibly five or more – before astronauts launch again from U.S. soil, and so this final journey of the shuttle era packed in crowds and roused emotions on a scale not seen since the Apollo moon shots.

After days of gloomy forecasts full of rain and heavy cloud cover, the spaceship lifted off at 11:29 a.m. – just 2 1/2 minutes late – thundering away on the 135th shuttle mission 30 years and three months after the very first flight. The four experienced space fliers rode Atlantis from the same pad used more than a generation ago by the Apollo astronauts.

The shuttle was visible for 42 seconds before disappearing into the clouds.

NASA waived its own weather rules to allow the liftoff to go forward. In the end, though, the countdown was delayed not by the weather but by the need to verify that the launch pad support equipment was retracted all the way.

The crew will deliver a year’s worth of critical supplies to the International Space Station and return with as much trash as possible. Atlantis is scheduled to come home on June 20 after 12 days in orbit.

Before taking flight, Commander Christopher Ferguson saluted all those who contributed over the years to the shuttle program.

“The shuttle is always going to be a reflection of what a great nation can do when it dares to be bold and commits to follow through,” he said, addressing NASA launch director Mike Leinbach. “We’re not ending the journey today … we’re completing a chapter of a journey that will never end.”

He added: “Let’s light this fire one more time, Mike, and witness this great nation at its best.”

It wasn’t clear until the final moments of the countdown that the launch would come off. That was fitting in a way, since Florida’s famously stormy weather delayed numerous shuttle missions almost from the start of the program and was a major reason spaceflight never became routine, as NASA had hoped for.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators jammed Cape Canaveral and surrounding towns for the emotional farewell. Kennedy Space Center itself was packed with shuttle workers, astronauts and 45,000 invited guests, the maximum allowed.

NASA’s original shuttle pilot, Robert Crippen, now 73, was among the VIPs. He flew Columbia, along with Apollo 16 moonwalker John Young, on the inaugural test flight in 1981.

Other notables on the guest list: a dozen members of Congress, Cabinet members, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, four Kennedy family members, Jimmy Buffett, Gloria Estefan and two former NASA chiefs.

The space shuttle was conceived even as the moon landings were under way, deemed essential for building a permanent space station. NASA brashly promised 50 flights a year – in other words, routine trips into space – and affordable service.

But the program suffered two tragic accidents that killed 14 astronauts and destroyed two shuttles, Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003. NASA never managed more than nine flights in a single year. And the total tab was $196 billion, or $1.45 billion a flight.

Yet there have been some indisputable payoffs: The International Space Station would not exist if it were not for the shuttles, and the Hubble Space Telescope, thanks to repeated tuneups by astronauts, would be a blurry eye in the sky instead of the world’s finest cosmic photographer.

The station is essentially completed, and thus the shuttle’s original purpose accomplished. NASA says it is sacrificing the shuttles because there is not enough money to keep the expensive fleet going if the space agency is to aim for asteroids and Mars.

Thousands of shuttle workers will be laid off within days of Atlantis’ return, on top of the thousands who already have lost their jobs. And the three remaining shuttles will become museum pieces.

This day of reckoning has been coming since 2004, a year after the Columbia tragedy, when President George W. Bush announced the retirement of the shuttle and put NASA on a course back to the moon. President Barack Obama canceled the back-to-the-moon program in favor of trips to an asteroid and Mars.

But NASA has yet to work out the details of how it intends to get there, and has not even settled on a spacecraft design.

The space shuttle demonstrates America’s leadership in space, and “for us to abandon that in favor of nothing is a mistake of strategic proportions,” lamented former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, who led the agency from 2005 to 2008.

After Atlantis’ lights-out, 33rd flight, private rocket companies will take over the job of hauling supplies and astronauts to the space station. The first supply run is targeted for later this year, while the first trip with astronauts is projected to be years away.

Until those flights are up and running, American astronauts will be hitching rides to and from the space station via Russian Soyuz capsules, at more than $50 million per trip.

Russia will supply the rescue vessels for Ferguson and his crew if Atlantis ends up severely damaged in flight. But the Russian spaceships can carry only three people, including two crew members, and any rescue would require a series of back-and-forth trips. That is why only four astronauts are flying Atlantis, the smallest crew in decades.

That reliance on Russia – with no other backup – has many space veterans worried. A contingent of old-time flight directors and astronauts, Crippen included, is seeking a last-ditch reprieve for the space shuttle, at least until something is ready to take its place.

Crippen acknowledged it is futile at this point.

“I’m afraid that ship has sailed,” he said on the eve of the launch. But noting the improvements that had been made in the shuttles over the past three decades, he said: “Those vehicles, in my opinion, could fly for another 30 years and could be flown safely.”

This last journey by Atlantis may be stretched to 13 days if enough power can be conserved. Weather permitting, Atlantis will return to Kennedy, where it will be put on public display. Discovery and Endeavour already are retired and being prepped for museums across the country.

Comments (81)

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  • tom
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 12:06pm

    After 30 years, the NASA space shuttle program comes to an end as Atlantis embarked on a final 12-day mission: Obama wants NASA to reach out to the Muslim’s after this, “to remind them how they’ve contributed to science”??? and the gay community, for what I don’t know, but it’s on Google. So, if your a gay Muslim, Obama has work for you at NASA. Vote Larry Sinclair’s good buddy out in 2012.

    Report Post » tom  
  • CatB
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:57am

    Bill Nelson is a fool!!!!

    TEA!

    Report Post »  
    • starznbarz
      Posted on July 9, 2011 at 3:23pm

      @CATB -agreed. he was being interviewed at the launch yesterday, just a few feet from where we were set up – I had the urge to call him out on his support of obamacare in the middle of the live shot, but it was not the time or the place. http://www.starznbarz.com

      Report Post » starznbarz  
  • CatB
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:50am

    MonteCristo
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:42am
    Why does the Blaze keep insisting on using feed/links from MSNBC???? I don’t get it, it is an insult to your readers. They hate us and routinely mock us yet you feel the need to give them traffic.

    ______________________________________________

    Good question .. I sent them a link to NASA HD … it had awesome shots.

    Report Post »  
  • Countrygirl1362
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:50am

    Prayers for a safe jouney and safe return.

    Report Post »  
  • Mathew Manhorne
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:47am

    Another sad day for this Nation.. The end of US dominance in the space arena for god knows how long….Now we pass the torch to all our enemies. Russia, China , and Iran…..

    Report Post »  
    • Blackhawk1
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 4:29pm

      Keep your chin up. Obama and the rest of his Marxists will be gone after 2012 and we can resume our American Exceptionalism.

      Report Post » Blackhawk1  
    • C. Schwehr
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:50pm

      A sad day for the United States as the progressives have finally won their battle to kill the NASA manned space program intentionally. We will now settle in for a “lost decade” of Russian and Chinese “exceptionalism” in the field of manned space flight as the progressives have turned any hopes of going back into orbit over to the civilian space market. Our only potential path back is via the SpaceX capsule or possibly Burt Rutan designing his own true orbital space plane….NASA has been converted into a political joke….

      Report Post »  
    • artistskeptic
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:52pm

      This disgusting being which is now called “President” has no concept of what the ‘American Way” means. This idiot has no understanding of the technology and inovation that was created by NASA and he therefore thinks that giving equivalent monies to the trailer- park/ghetto sluggs to be a wiser redistribution of wealth.. . Pray daily that Lee Harvey will recurr soon!!.

      Report Post »  
  • IMPEACHBHO
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:46am

    It was like watching an angel die. Since BHO has shut down the next project (which was over 75% complete, this will be the last pride of America in space. But then, since when did this dictator and food Nazi ever have pride in America.

    The program that needs to be shut down is the communist takeover of our country.

    Report Post » IMPEACHBHO  
  • NJTMATO
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:45am

    @ Montecristo
    Good question! I have wondered that myself!!! Makes me angry.

    Report Post » NJTMATO  
  • agameofthrones
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:43am

    A beautiful sight. But now we can add many of the NASA workers to the unemployment lines. So sad.

    Report Post » agameofthrones  
  • SavingtheRepublic.com
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:43am

    Another accomplishment for Emperor Obama to put on his resume in fundamentally transforming America. Whats left? Those pesky Bill of Rights, how many of those are still intact since he is now moving forward to go after 2nd Amendment. You see he gets that out of the way and there is nothing in his way to total takeover, WAKE UP America.. SavingtheRepublic.com

    Report Post » SavingtheRepublic.com  
  • NJTMATO
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:43am

    God Speed! Amazing!!!!!!!

    Report Post » NJTMATO  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:41am

    I cried as I watched it go up. Even after all these years, it still takes my breath away. Godspeed to these brave astronauts.

    Thanks for killing an awesome scientific program, Obummer – you no-good, worthless #$%*&……….

    Report Post » biohazard23  
    • IMPEACHBHO
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:49am

      @BIOHAZARD23
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:41am
      I cried as I watched it go up. Even after all these years, it still takes my breath away. Godspeed to these brave astronauts.

      Thanks for killing an awesome scientific program, Obummer – you no-good, worthless #$%*&……….
      _________________
      BHO didn’t kill it, he just fundamentally changed it. Now, instead of reaching out to the stars, he instructed NASA to reach out to muslims. Just one of 5,266 reasons to end the BHO program.

      Report Post » IMPEACHBHO  
    • the_zazzy
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 12:46pm

      He needs to take the space program money and devote it to entitlements…don’t you see??

      Report Post » the_zazzy  
    • intothelight
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:25pm

      I cried myself. The end of an era. We are now relegated to the bottom of the heap. I feel sorry for all the jobs lost and the pride we felt in American exceptionalism. We’re just run of the mill now. We need a candidate to say “We will land a man on Mars within the decade”

      Report Post »  
    • brotherjohn
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:35pm

      I‘m glad to see that I’m not the only one that gets emotional when the the shuttle goes up. The overwhelming sense of national pride gets to me every time. Sorry leftist trolls!

      One the other hand, don’t be so sure that we will be taking a back seat to the space program of other nations. We now have an smaller version of the shuttle that is autonomous and can remain aloft for months at a time. I think it will be a long time before China, Russia, et, al. will match that capability. The whole idea of turning NASA into a Muslim outreach organization is so absurd that it can’t be true. Most likely, it is more smoke an mirrors from the government.

      Stay tuned.

      Report Post » brotherjohn  
    • InversionTheory
      Posted on July 9, 2011 at 2:33pm

      Absolutely… I always cry and I’m not even part of the fun. I have lots of friends who worked for United Space Alliance and NASA….They’re moving on to other things in the private sector (funny how the government finds a way to keep folks with top secret security clearances employed).

      Report Post »  
  • GRAMPA-D-NH
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:41am

    A shuttle launch never gets old for me. Sadly this is the last and now that OwebaMao is gutting NASA and directing their focus to make nice nice with the religion of peace (not!) another area of American exceptionalism is being undone.

    Report Post » GRAMPA-D-NH  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:16pm

      This marks the ending of an era; I have to wonder how long it will take to have another American set of manned missions done from the USA, and possibly by a private American industry or group of them pooling their resources togeather?

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • layla
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:38am

    another step on the road to becoming unexceptional

    Report Post »  
  • RepubliCorp
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:38am

    The song is ended, but the melody lingers on

    Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • mwhaley
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:14pm

      Where are the “Obama Biden good for NASA” bumper stickers?

      Report Post »  
    • mwhaley
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:20pm

      Wez needs mo money for ours poors peoplez. So wez be gittn dat moneys from da whities rockets stash.

      Report Post »  
  • charliego
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:37am

    Perfect, mother nature cooperated, I now see the earth’s curvature, how peaceful she looks.
    BooHiss Obama, So we get to rely on Russia, while are NASA funds are diverted to educating—WHO?
    GOD be with our space pioneers. GREAT JOB, Americans!

    Report Post » charliego  
  • Rick300
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:35am

    AWESOME!!!! From the first test glide of Enterprise to this last launch of Atlantis. God bless those that we have lost in the Columbia and Challenger disasters. Bless you all for your service.

    Report Post » Rick300  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:08pm

      Yea, and now we have to hitch a ride with the Russians to get to space, thanks Obama. You have succesfully ended America’s dominance of space. You and Chellie must be soooo proud.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • REDBLOODEDHUSKER
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:34am

    Godspeed Atlantis! Come home safe.

    Report Post »  
  • Enuff Zenuff
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:34am

    God Speed them on a safe and fruitful journey.

    Report Post » Enuff Zenuff  
  • HMNSC
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:33am

    Good luck and God speed Atlantis crew!

    Report Post »  
  • Banshee34
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:33am

    Very sad!

    Report Post » Banshee34  
  • Hard
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:32am

    American engenuity!

    Report Post »  
  • Reflectionography
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:32am

    Sweet!
    http://www.reflectionography.net

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:30am

    Go on the way – get goint and climb for the skies!!!

    Some dingbat reporter just declared the shuttle is rising like “a scared cat on top of a pillar of flames being chased by a pack of hounds…”

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • charliego
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:40am

      SNOW—WHAT??? Who made this comment?. Boy, would I love to send this idiot a twitter, but then again—how can you get through to LOSERS!!!!

      Report Post » charliego  
  • nomercy63
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:29am

    Nothing to celebrate here!!!!!! All the things we have achieved are coming to an end!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:24am

    And so, if she launches comes the ending of and era, and due to Obama the ending of a dream.
    http://artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Warphead
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:33am

      There will be life beyond Obama, this is a cerainty. As to how much damage control and cleanup that will be required, that is the question.

      Report Post » Warphead  
    • charliego
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:50am

      WARPHEAD:
      We have done it before, we WILL do it again. Have faith-There is something in our DNA that GOD has embued with HIS love, HIS caring. But we must return our eyes, ears and faith to HIM.
      We are awake, we are gathering like storm clouds on the near horizon; the great thing about the resultant rain is it cleanses and refreshes life. Kinda like fire, which we are presently immersed in, but even that has its rebirth properties within all its surrounding dangers.

      Report Post » charliego  
    • MonteCristo
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:42am

      Why does the Blaze keep insisting on using feed/links from MSNBC???? I don’t get it, it is an insult to your readers. They hate us and routinely mock us yet you feel the need to give them traffic.

      Report Post » MonteCristo  
    • Aaron in Polk County
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:46am

      Now, let’s see if the Government uses the funds taken from NASA and spends them somewhere else… that will be the true test of this administration’s spending cuts.

      They have cut spending, NASA workers are feeling the pinch…. Now let’s see if we, as a nation, an continue to cut programs without spending the money somewhere else.

      Report Post » Aaron in Polk County  
    • WeShallBeHeard
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 12:07pm

      And the ironic part of all this (including your statement) is that I saw an ad earlier today from the United ***** College Fund (UNCF) showing a child dreaming… and in the picture was the space shuttle.

      Thanks Obama – ruining the dreams of everyone!

      Report Post »  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 12:08pm

      America takes the BACK SEAT in the space program thanks to BO. SHAME!

      Report Post » banjarmon  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 12:17pm

      The next step, after having a space station, should be a moon base. From a moon base, they will be able to launch to Mars without having to worry about Earth’s gravity. The moon base could also expand to a colony. We need a half-way point in a station orbiting earth, beyond the orbit of the space station. In order to do that, we will need something to replace the shuttles.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
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