Yesterday, April 12th, was the 25th anniversary of STS-1, the very first Space Shuttle flight.

I have always felt that the space program is point of great national pride, therefore I'm an extra very proud American today. Normally I'm a very proud American.

I remember watching the first Shuttle flight on TV back when I was ten years old. Already I understood the importance of going into space, and felt the excitement and pride in my country as they lit the fuse on that candle, and even more excitement as it came in for a successful landing.

It is a crying shame that so many people are so ignorant to the importance of going into space, and of all of the benifits that the reasearch required to go into space brings us.

It's past time people showed interest in the Space program when things are going right, not just when things go wrong.

So go to the NASA's site to learn about the launch of STS-1. They've got some cool stuff there, and those of you in your thirties might just get a little nostalgic.

BTW, start your own thread if you want to post some anti-American garbage in response to this topic because that crap is not welcome here.

Wow - has it been 25 years already?

I clearly remember watching the FIRST space shuttle blast in to space. It was the Columbia, if memory serves, and the first several flights featured a white painted center fuel component. I remember when they started not painting it - it was weird looking at first to see a brown fuel tank.

I was in 5th grade when the 1st space shuttle blasted off in to space. It was a really big deal at the time and I was very excited to see the future of space travel - the first reusable space ship!

I still remember they herded all of us in to the media center at school that day, to watch it lift-off live on the TV there. It was really cool to me - watching it lift-off with all that thrust and power driving it in to space like that. I had never seen anything like it - I mean it looked so different than any of the rockets I had seen lift off. It was an actual space ship mounted on rockets this time!

I also remember the Enterprise from the late 70's. It looked like the other space shuttles, only I don't think it ever made it in to space. I remember something about it being launched from a modified 747 or something and it was more of a test craft. I thought it was cool because it was a real space ship and because I was a Star Trek fan even back then - and it was called the "Enterprise" - so we had a real Enterprise! Maybe it didn't do warp speed, but it was an Enterprise - and that was pretty cool to me.

Space exploration is very fascinating stuff to me. I'm so very disappointed in the lack of progress made in recent years. I know it is because of the lack of money and lack of general interest (on the part of most people, not me). If there were more interest in it, I'm sure the government would stop slashing NASA's budget like they've been doing.

I keep hoping that private companies will start investing more in to it since it looks like NASA's kind of crippled financially as of late. I know some private companies are working toward it, but they've got a long way to go yet.

In the mean time, I get really excited with every new mission and experimental satellite. The Mars rovers were very intriguing to me - the first one in 1997 and the duo of them just a few years ago that STILL explore the red planet today!

I can't wait until we get some more action on the moon going on and manned trips to Mars. I know it's going to be a while though. Bummer.

That is pretty nice that there aren't any bashers on this site...there are a couple on NumanMe, and, geez, they are annoying...


I'm done babbiling.where to buy abortion pill ordering abortion pills to be shipped to house buy abortion pill online

I got to see a Space Shuttle launch once. I was working for Disney World in a college program in 1990 and we drove out to see it. Of course at some point the cars lining the road were so thick you had to just turn around and look for a place to park.
When it launched, it was a little to far to see the shuttle properly, but it didn't matter. It was still LOUD and the rumble of the engines still shook you too your bones. I can't imagine what being right there up close must have been like.

I've been to Kennedy Space Center, it's very impressive to be near a space ship. I'm very excited to learn about space, and technology. I wish I had the chance to be an engineer on that type of project! Speaking of engineers, I worked with the son of the man who designed and built the pershing missile, I learned alot from my friend "Conner", whom told me the "accident" on the challenger, if I remember correctly was due to o-rings that were placed imbetween the tanks and the shuttle, or the boosters. These plastic rings were never tested in a extreme hot to cold high pressure tests, and NASA was warned by this man, and possibly others, as are the other blunders. Truely a sad moment to be a astronaut. Since then, it's so fool proof with the protocols used now, it's practically improbable to see a bad accident. I was talking about those plasma engines Kamui posted somewhere in the forums, last night. Amazing stuff, and very cool looking. what's with the search engine on this site?? Anyway, I am in awe of the topic as a whole.

TheReelTodd Wrote: MutoidMan Wrote:Anybody ever visit Kennedy Space Center? I never got the change to. The closest I ever got to items of space history was in the Smithsonian Air and Space museum. That is actually my favorite museum as well. I've been there a few times from childhood to adult... the last time was in 1994. Very cool stuff there! They even have (or had) the original starship Enterprise from TOS! I think it used to be hanging right above the entrance to the cafeteria. Maybe not a real spaceship, but still really cool! There are so many cool things there, but probably my favorite is the Skylab replica. I remember seeing that reported on TV (the actual mission and technology of it) and my Dad getting me books on that as a kid. It was really fascinating to me - the whole concept of people living on a real space station like that. It was so futuristic to me I remember. I also remember thinking that in the years to come, so many more cool things like this would happen. Sadly, it was not the case. I figured by this time, we'd all be able to travel in space and visit places on our solar system. Yes, (as a kid) I really thought that by the time I was an adult, space exploration and technology would have advanced that far. Why didn't it? Ok, we all know the answer - just ONE reason - lack of $$. Still, I hope to see some more great advances in space exploration and technology before my days are through. Such fascinating stuff!

Cripes, it took me forever to get back to this thread!

I'm really looking forward to visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. In fact, I'm going to try to go this summer. I just love flying machines!abortion pills online http://www.kvicksundscupen.se/template/default.aspx?abortion-questions cytotec abortion