The space shuttle Atlantis will make its final journey to the stars next week.
NASA announced yesterday that the shuttle has been scheduled for launch on May 14. After that, Atlantis will be retired.
The retirement is part of the closing down of the shuttle program and will mark one of the last three expeditions by the shuttle fleet into outer space.
Atlantis will fly to the International Space Station, carrying up a crew of six and a load of supplies. It’s scheduled to be the last mission for Atlantis. NASA is retiring its three shuttles at the end of this year.
But Atlantis won’t be dismantled and head to a museum when the flight is over. Instead, the spaceship will be prepped for a potential rescue mission for NASA’s very last shuttle flight. That final trip, by Endeavour, is scheduled for November at the earliest.
I still cannot beleive we age giving up our lead in space. Just another sign of the decline of the USA- REST IN PEACE UNCLE SAM
K9: Yes, because we were clearly a horrible country in the 170 or so years before the space program came along right?
Oh wait, we weren’t.
Stop whining. There are plenty of countries that aren’t “#1!” in everything, and they’re still around. When you talk like that you come across as a complete whiner; the rich kid who thinks his life is over because his Dad took away one of his three cars.
Arkle,
You are correct- There are a lot of countries that are not number one- Iraq, Iran, Russia, Germany, England etc. You obviously do not get it, I am not whining but if you do not strive to be the best you never will. I for one do not settle for second best without an effort at least.
You can either lead or you can follow and I would rather lead-(figuratively speaking as I do not want you misunderstanding me here as well)
This is just 1 spoke of the wheel but we have already lost most of them. We owe China, a competitor, a ton of money. The profits that used to come to American workers are now going to Chinese workers and our standard of living is declining in a net worth aspect. Do you not remember when MADE IN THE USA meant quality, cost and technology for improving lives??? The world use to love our products. We continue to import more than we export in value now.
Hell, if we did not strive for better this country would not even be here.
I am not saying we will not be around. Spain, France & England are still around but guess what? Who cares as they are no longer relevant like they used to be. That is what I am talking about. You must be sensitive on this issue.
1. If you do not make something you have no value. Service Industry jobs do not pay the bills.
PS- I am not talking about myself but I see it in the workforce every day. .