Space - The Final Frontier

Definitely stoked to see the return to space travel from American soil with the use of a vehicle built by a nongovernmental company!

Quote from Edward Neal

I also think it is very cool that it will be the first time ever a private company put people into space - - the private sector is almost always more efficient

Can't wait, we have seen a lot of launches from the Cape, even when we don't drive up you can see most from the house on a clear day. You would be surprised how often they still go up.

But if you never had the chance to see a Shuttle launch you definitely missed something. Even the Falcon Heavy has nothing on the Shuttles boosters and I don't think we will ever see that kind earth shaking power again. With the Falcon rockets using multiple smaller more efficient engines it is more a oxyacetylene torch than a flame thrower. They barely even leave a trail, just a bright spot streaking skyward. With the Shuttle you could see the entire path for 15 minutes after launch and I could even hear it from my back porch. It is cool to see the Falcon boosters come back down though.

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I lived in Kissimmee when the Challenger blew up. We were all standing on the lawn of City Hall, and all the cheering stopped when the twin contrails appeared. We knew what it meant.

The Human Race MUST go into space. We will lose brave souls along the way. Just . . . not this time. Nor the next time, nor . . . . . . .

Quote by Rhysling, the Blind Poet, from "The Green Hills of Earth", written by Robert Heinlein:

"We pray for one last landing

On the globe that gave us birth

Let us rest our eyes on the fleecy skies

And the cool, green hills of Earth."

If you've never read the story, find it, read it. Classic Scifi.

Quote from Edward Neal

So - Just out of curiosity am I the only one here who is really stoked to see the return of American's going back into space on American rockets?

Personally I have been very disappointed that we allowed our space program get to the point were we needed to rely on Russia to get into space and I am very glad it will soon be over - - - - I am excited to watch the launch, hopefully, tomorrow and my prayers go out to all involved that it all go perfectly and as planned

I also think it is very cool that it will be the first time ever a private company put people into space - - the private sector is almost always more efficient

And even Trump will be there

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Edward, I share your interest in this subject. In fact, i worked my way through school studying aeronautical engineering. All my teachers told me I was taking up space in their class.

We enterred the lottery drawing for tickets to the last shuttle launch and were able to get two tickets. We saw it launch from the grounds of the Canaveral complex as close as spectators were allowed to be. We even were giving certificates to frame to celebrate the occasion. We too can see the launches from our house. It's something that people have to see once in their lifetime if at all possible. It sure makes you proud to be an American to watch it being launched into space

Me, not so much. What has space gotten us? Take away the possible military aspect and you have nothing left. When you think of it look at where we are after all these years just going to be hundreds and maybe thousands of years before we can explore deep space. First we have to find the correct fuel

I was in the main terminal of the Honolulu airport, waiting to board a flight, when suddenly, everyone in the terminal gasped and began running to the area where a large-screen TV televised the launch of the Challenger and its subsequent explosion. America lost good people that day.

Quote from EricRedSL

Me, not so much. What has space gotten us? Take away the possible military aspect and you have nothing left. When you think of it look at where we are after all these years just going to be hundreds and maybe thousands of years before we can explore deep space. First we have to find the correct fuel

A of stuff came out of the space program that we think nothing of today.

I knew I get hit on my comment and I know we have done some stuff from space but for the cost-benefit not sure I'm getting my money's worth

WHAT? If it wasn't for space travel, they would have never discovered TANG

Yep I say some pretty stupid stuff sometimes so I take everything back because Tang was invented when I was in high school . Never liked it

I was stationed at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California from 1980 - 1984 and still regret that I never got down to Edwards AFB to see one of the early Space Shuttle landings. I did at least get to see a Shuttle launch and a couple of different rocket launches from the Florida launch facility during trips to Orlando w/ my Wife.

We've been out on the beach in the Canaveral area when the shuttle flew overhead to land. What a wonderful sight to see something that size glide by only making the sound of the wind (after the sonic booms along the way). One of the those moments I'll never forget no matter how much older and senile I get

2.5billion and the launch is scrubbed. Shows how infantile we are regarding space launches and travel. I sure I will not be on this earth to witness every day space travel.

Quote from Edward Neal

well, today they had a very limited launch window - launching a rocket off of a spinning ball to meetup with an object in space that is orbiting around that spinning ball at 4.76 miles per second and timing it all right so that the rocket has the fuel to put the capsule it the correct orbit so that this can all be done is complicated and requires precise timing - - add to this that in the case of these maned launches they need good weather out over the ocean all the way up over Canadian waters just in case they need to abort the launch and bring the astronauts back down.

if it were easy this would not be the first time ever that this was being done by a private company - seriously in all of history only the U.S. Russia/USSR and China have ever put a human into space

Hoping for good weather on Saturday a couple of us might head down that way to see the launch

If no one in history ever took a chance, the human race would still be present only on the African continent. People gradually made their way to Europe, then the Far East and on to Australia, North America and South America. A few thousand years later, someone headed out across the unknown expanse of water and Europeans (descendants of the first Africans to venture North) started a new immigration into the "New World".

Luckily for the rest of us, not everyone considers our explorations to be of no worth.

One day, Earth will not be habitable. To set on our collective backsides and call our present condition "good enough" is to be short sighted and risk the end of human presence in the universe.