And off the old bird goes

[4 IN 1 0]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43680621/ns/technology_and_science-space?gt1=43001

Spreading her wing for the last time, Atlantis made her last launch into the space for STS-135 aim to resupply ISS, beginning the end of the space shuttle program.

Just hop in in time to watch the old bird goes, that is something to remember...

God speed Atlantis, and come home safe!

Edited July 8, 2011 by 4 IN 1

[jeza 5415]

Was a a sight to behold, its a shame, that the shuttle program never got to the heights of Apollo and became more of a transport service to the ISS. Still wonderful bit of tech, I remember being at cap cav seeing one coming back down from ISS, allmighty boom with it and glided majestically down to the ground.

Next gen now for mars and this meteor they want to land on, hopefully they get such propulsion such as project Icarus, looking at one tenth speed of light, but think that wont be ready by the 2025 or 2030 date to be there. Either way should be interesting times ahead, not really because of NASA or ESA, the Private companies such as virgin galactic & others will challenge them to get their first.

[Nicholas 5]

I surely will miss the shuttle program. I sure hope it comes back safely. I am disappointed that they cancelled the Constellation program(Ares rockets) as well, due to the budget, but last I heard, NASA only uses 0.5% of the US budget.

But I am watching the SpaceX company closely. They have been profitable every year since 2007 and will have an IPO soon.

Very interesting information:

Whenever someone proposes to do something that has never been done before, there will always be skeptics.

So when I started SpaceX, it was not surprising when people said we wouldn’t succeed. But now that we’ve successfully proven Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Dragon, there’s been a steady stream of misinformation and doubt expressed about SpaceX’s actual launch costs and prices.

As noted last month by a Chinese government official, SpaceX currently has the best launch prices in the world and they don’t believe they can beat them. This is a clear case of American innovation trumping lower overseas labor rates.

I recognize that our prices shatter the historical cost models of government-led developments, but these prices are not arbitrary, premised on capturing a dominant share of the market, or “teaser†rates meant to lure in an eager market only to be increased later. These prices are based on known costs and a demonstrated track record, and they exemplify the potential of America's commercial space industry.

Here are the facts:

The price of a standard flight on a Falcon 9 rocket is $54 million. We are the only launch company that publicly posts this information on our website (www.spacex.com). We have signed many legally binding contracts with both government and commercial customers for this price (or less). Because SpaceX is so vertically integrated, we know and can control the overwhelming majority of our costs. This is why I am so confident that our performance will increase and our prices will decline over time, as is the case with every other technology.

The average price of a full-up NASA Dragon cargo mission to the International Space Station is $133 million including inflation, or roughly $115m in today’s dollars, and we have a firm, fixed price contract with NASA for 12 missions. This price includes the costs of the Falcon 9 launch, the Dragon spacecraft, all operations, maintenance and overhead, and all of the work required to integrate with the Space Station. If there are cost overruns, SpaceX will cover the difference. (This concept may be foreign to some traditional government space contractors that seem to believe that cost overruns should be the responsibility of the taxpayer.)

The total company expenditures since being founded in 2002 through the 2010 fiscal year were less than $800 million, which includes all the development costs for the Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Dragon. Included in this $800 million are the costs of building launch sites at Vandenberg, Cape Canaveral and Kwajalein, as well as the corporate manufacturing facility that can support up to 12 Falcon 9 and Dragon missions per year. This total also includes the cost of five flights of Falcon 1, two flights of Falcon 9, and one up and back flight of Dragon.

The Falcon 9 launch vehicle was developed from a blank sheet to first launch in four and half years for just over $300 million. The Falcon 9 is an EELV class vehicle that generates roughly one million pounds of thrust (four times the maximum thrust of a Boeing 747) and carries more payload to orbit than a Delta IV Medium.

The Dragon spacecraft was developed from a blank sheet to the first demonstration flight in just over four years for about $300 million. Last year, SpaceX became the first private company, in partnership with NASA, to successfully orbit and recover a spacecraft. The spacecraft and the Falcon 9 rocket that carried it were designed, manufactured and launched by American workers for an American company. The Falcon 9/Dragon system, with the addition of a launch escape system, seats and upgraded life support, can carry seven astronauts to orbit, more than double the capacity of the Russian Soyuz, but at less than a third of the price per seat.

SpaceX has been profitable every year since 2007, despite dramatic employee growth and major infrastructure and operations investments. We have over 40 flights on manifest representing over $3 billion in revenues.

These are the objective facts, confirmed by external auditors. Moreover, SpaceX intends to make far more dramatic reductions in price in the long term when full launch vehicle reusability is achieved. We will not be satisfied with our progress until we have achieved this long sought goal of the space industry.

For the first time in more than three decades, America last year began taking back international market-share in commercial satellite launch. This remarkable turn-around was sparked by a small investment NASA made in SpaceX in 2006 as part of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. A unique public-private partnership, COTS has proven that under the right conditions, a properly incentivized contractor — even an all-American one — can develop extremely complex systems on rapid timelines and a fixed-price basis, significantly beating historical industry-standard costs.

China has the fastest growing economy in the world. But the American free enterprise system, which allows anyone with a better mouse-trap to compete, is what will ensure that the United States remains the world’s greatest superpower of innovation.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Nicholas

[sudayev 27]

Yep i was watching this, glorious lift-off I'm a big fan of NASA & space exploration and I was excited with this event from early morning :)

The fact of the space shuttle program makes me a little sad. These amazing machines were destined to fly a little more missions instead of going to the museums, too bad that damn politics is too much in control of scientific achievements. I can't believe they let the whole constellation programme went down the drain, so much have been done and all effort was wasted in favor of another decision.

When there's a mission in space I always tune in to this. Ambient mixed with shuttle & iss live audio feed!

http://somafm.com/missioncontrol/

[rangerpl 13]

This is a disgrace, those airframes were designed for 100 flights, not a single shuttle actually flew so much as forty.

The end of an era...

[Daniel 0]

http://somafm.com/missioncontrol/

Thanks for the link! This is actually pretty cool, especially linked with this.

Just had an in flight call a few minutes ago checking in off the west coast of Australia which lined up perfectly with the map. Such as shame its the last mission.

[sudayev 27]

Thanks for the link! This is actually pretty cool, especially linked with this.

Just had an in flight call a few minutes ago checking in off the west coast of Australia which lined up perfectly with the map. Such as shame its the last mission.

Cool link as well!

http://www.calsky.com/ (calendar)

The most complete astronomical observation and information online-calculator on this globe: make your own calendar with satellites, asteroids, comets, ...

Be sure to input your town correctly and then you can track the ISS more accurately including the time of emergence, flight trace and magnitudes over your area. I use this site daily to catch up with the things and it never let me down!

Edited July 9, 2011 by Sudayev

[jeza 5415]

Cool link as well!

http://www.calsky.com/ (calendar)

Be sure to input your town correctly and then you can track the ISS more accurately including the time of emergence, flight trace and magnitude over your are. I use this site daily to catch up with the things and it never let me down!

Yeah i have a similar app on my iphone, very cool stuff. :)

[Hans Ludwig 0]

The Shuttle program was the biggest waste of taxpayer money. I'm not against going to outer space, but let the private companies do it. That way I keep more of my paycheck to buy new computers to play Arma2/3 on.

[jeza 5415]

The Shuttle program was the biggest waste of taxpayer money. I'm not against going to outer space, but let the private companies do it. That way I keep more of my paycheck to buy new computers to play Arma2/3 on.

Well from now on as mentioned above we believe that companies such as spacex and virgin galactic are looking at taking the helm.

[solidsnake2384 10]

I live in Florida and not once did I get to see the space shuttle in person only on TV live. And I was planning to watch thist last flight. I woke up on Friday, guess what, I woke up 1 hour late -_-.

[4 IN 1 0]

The Shuttle program was the biggest waste of taxpayer money. I'm not against going to outer space, but let the private companies do it. That way I keep more of my paycheck to buy new computers to play Arma2/3 on.

One man herr don't get the right stuff

[instagoat 133]

Watched the launch live. No matter what you think about the shuttle program, it was beautiful to behold.

From now on, the international community will have to rely on the russians to supply the space station. At least until somebody else comes up with commercially viable transport options. No european nation, and the US, have heavy lift launch vehicles right now, especially since the ares family of rockets has been cancelled.

[rangerpl 13]

The Shuttle program was the biggest waste of taxpayer money. I'm not against going to outer space, but let the private companies do it. That way I keep more of my paycheck to buy new computers to play Arma2/3 on.

NASA costs you 0.5 cents out of every dollar you give to the government every year.

The entire half-century budget of NASA equals the current two year budget of the Department of Defense.

Under Obama's new program, low earth orbit flights will be handled commercially meanwhile NASA will focus on returning to the moon, landing on an asteroid and preparing to put a man on Mars by the 2030s.

It's a shame that, after the Columbia disaster, the whole program turned into an expensive clusterfuck.

Edited July 10, 2011 by RangerPL

[[aps]gnat 28]

The Shuttle program was the biggest waste of taxpayer money. I'm not against going to outer space, but let the private companies do it.

LOL ... how to put another nail the the US superpower demise.

The 21st century is NOT the US's ..... the USA has lost its edge, and dropping a space program is paramount to nailing 1 foot to the ground.

Great countries are those who forge ahead into new frontiers .............

[4 IN 1 0]

Under Obama's new program, low earth orbit flights will be handled commercially meanwhile NASA will focus on returning to the moon, landing on an asteroid and preparing to put a man on Mars by the 2030s.

And this brings a hold new question to be answer: With what?

The only thing the get carry to Obumer's new plan is the Onion CSM, which aint even in actual test yet.

[solidsnake2384 10]

Gnat;1977876']LOL ... how to put another nail the the US superpower demise.

The 21st century is NOT the US's ..... the USA has lost its edge' date=' and dropping a space program is paramount to nailing 1 foot to the ground.

Great countries are those who forge ahead into new frontiers .............[/quote']

Well.....Obama DID promise change. -_-

Didnt say it was going to be good.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Well.....Obama DID promise change. -_-

From the outside lookin in, seems to me he's havin to cleaning up the shit left by others ....... politicians and bankers

Seriously though if the USA turns it back on the final frontier, world space powers like europe, india, japan, china and even russia are going to take the cream.

[rangerpl 13]

And this brings a hold new question to be answer: With what?

The only thing the get carry to Obumer's new plan is the Onion CSM, which aint even in actual test yet.

They've scrubbed Ares but it seems they are going to use the Jupiter series of shuttle-derived rockets (using engines, structures and SRBs designed for the Shuttle). They'll be cheaper, simpler and will fly sooner than Ares would have been.

I'm no fan of Obama either but if this new space program gets off the ground, it will be one of the best things he does.

[Zipper5 74]

I don't think Americans are ever fully happy with their Presidents, or their government in general. :p

[rangerpl 13]

I don't think Americans are ever fully happy with their Presidents, or their government in general. :p

Well in America, you don't vote for the guy you like best, you vote for the guy you despise least :D

[4 IN 1 0]

They've scrubbed Ares but it seems they are going to use the Jupiter series of shuttle-derived rockets (using engines, structures and SRBs designed for the Shuttle). They'll be cheaper, simpler and will fly sooner than Ares would have been.

I'm no fan of Obama either but if this new space program gets off the ground, it will be one of the best things he does.

It is a bit of luck that the J2X is not scrubbed as well, one of the best engine left over from the apollo era.

[rangerpl 13]

It is a bit of luck that the J2X is not scrubbed as well, one of the best engine left over from the apollo era.

I'm not sure as to the status of that, I think they are going to use J2Xs for the upper stage of the new rocket. I'm pretty sure that the main engines on the first stage will be SSME's (shuttle engines), since NASA is following the "DIRECT" proposal which called for this.

[Daniel 0]

Anyone else catch the landing? I just happened to click on the BBC video feed, not realising it was live. Glad I caught it, had a great view from the pilot's HUD.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14232364

Edited July 21, 2011 by Daniel

[CriminalMinds 10]

Yes, I watched it on NASA TV. A very sad moment indeed. :(

Edited July 21, 2011 by CriminalMinds