Southern Ladies...

[nikkiARNGwife]

anyone else hear/feel the space shuttle land this morning? We heard it all the way over in MS..my mom called and was like WHAT was that lol...

[jessica31876]

Hear it every time it lands LOL. I am usually used to it until it lands early in the morning and I am sound asleep and it lands. Then it freaks me out for a second until I realize oh just the shuttle again. Feels kinda weird for the program to be almost over. Only two more launches left. Although the traffic conjestion is causes where I live will be over too so thats a good thing.

[nikkiARNGwife]

I bet it's really loud where you are Jessica...it's funny b/c they are cutting trees down in front of my house today and for a sec I was like.."dang that must have been a big tree" lol ..the house even shook a tiny bit

[Darcy Baldwin]

Unless it crashes..we don't hear it :( When Columbia crashed..we definitely heard it here.

How cool that you did considering it'll be an experience we won't have much longer *sigh*.

[jessica31876]

yep I am about 20 or so miles from the space center so it is pretty loud. It will set off car alarms and rattle the windows on the space coast I have heard.

[joelsgirl]

Ummm, call me stupid, {but you know, not to my face or anything} we're not sending rockets into outer space anymore? Like ever?

[nikkiARNGwife]

I think the program has been suspended Kellie...to save money

[joelsgirl]

"the program" What program is this? Space exploration in general? No more astronauts? Personally, I couldn't care less. Seems like a smart move. Let's spend our money on things on our own planet, good move. Would totally stink if you were like next in line to go into space, though.

[joelsgirl]

So i just googled it, and it sounds like actually he is planning on spending MORE money, judging from what he said in this article (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/science/space/16nasa.html). Let's not just go into space, let's find a way to live on Mars. Good idea, Prez. We'll just pick the best and the brightest, send them to Mars and then forget about this old broken planet.

I still don't get any of it.

[Darcy Baldwin]

The shuttle program is being ended, not just suspended. There was talk of a new-era shuttle being created, but it's been so delayed that the likelihood is remote. Any exploration done now will be unmanned rockets and private enterprise. The Ares & Orion projects are down the road...but in the current climate, space exploration is going to go more and more to private enterprise.

[LibbysMommy]

Wow. I must live under a rock because I didn't know any of this. How cool that you could feel it all the way over where you are Nikki!!

[Heather Roselli]

I am so sad that the Shuttle program is ending...we wanted to see a launch in March when we visited FL - we had tickets and everything, but before we even left TN the launch was delayed for 2 weeks! UGH

I think it is horrible that we don't have any short term goals to go into space on our own. Relying on Russia and other countries to get us there puts us way out of being top dog in space, yk?

Don't flame me, but I just don't see why we need to spend billions upon billions in wars in foreign countries when we could be using it to explore the oceans, space and other things that will lead to greener energies that depend less on other countries and help the environment (or better yet helping our own poor and taking care of things here at home). *stepping down from soap box now*

[digideb]

You know what? I dreamed of a small earthquake...maybe that's what it really was! IDK.

[newfiemountiewife]

I am so sad that the Shuttle program is ending...we wanted to see a launch in March when we visited FL - we had tickets and everything, but before we even left TN the launch was delayed for 2 weeks! UGH

I think it is horrible that we don't have any short term goals to go into space on our own. Relying on Russia and other countries to get us there puts us way out of being top dog in space, yk?

Don't flame me, but I just don't see why we need to spend billions upon billions in wars in foreign countries when we could be using it to explore the oceans, space and other things that will lead to greener energies that depend less on other countries and help the environment (or better yet helping our own poor and taking care of things here at home). *stepping down from soap box now*

I'm not American, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Space exploration and NASA and astronauts LOL. I was so sad to hear this the other day. We are planning a trip to Florida next Spring and were hoping to time it (if we were actually lucky enough) around a shuttle launch. I'm sad I won't ever get to see one in person.

[chastml]

We heard it this morning in AR. I guess it's because it took a different path this time (that's what the local meteorologist said, anyway).

[junebug]

i think its sad that the program is ending. i love learning about all that space stuff. i'm the biggest nerd. (it ticked me off when they declared Pluto no longer a planet. poor Pluto, lol) yes its a lot of money that can be spent elswhere, but i think its helpful to explore. its in our human nature to want to explore. atleast mine anyway. but if we are doing it to save money then we better spend that money for something useful.

this seriously makes me sad there'll be no more rockets :(

[scrap2day]

I'm not American, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Space exploration and NASA and astronauts LOL. I was so sad to hear this the other day. We are planning a trip to Florida next Spring and were hoping to time it (if we were actually lucky enough) around a shuttle launch. I'm sad I won't ever get to see one in person.

If you're going to be in Florida and you're into NASA and astronauts, I highly recommend a trip to the Kennedy Space Center. http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/

ETA: You'll get to walk into a Space Shuttle, get up close to various rockets and other spacecraft, etc.

[adrianka]

Don't flame me, but I just don't see why we need to spend billions upon billions in wars in foreign countries when we could be using it to explore the oceans, space and other things that will lead to greener energies that depend less on other countries and help the environment (or better yet helping our own poor and taking care of things here at home). *stepping down from soap box now*

No flames. I'm right there with you.

[adrianka]

So i just googled it, and it sounds like actually he is planning on spending MORE money, judging from what he said in this article (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/science/space/16nasa.html). Let's not just go into space, let's find a way to live on Mars. Good idea, Prez. We'll just pick the best and the brightest, send them to Mars and then forget about this old broken planet.

I still don't get any of it.

Space exploration represents a sense of wonder. I think it's one of the basic features that make us human.

[Gemma]

i think its sad that the program is ending. i love learning about all that space stuff. i'm the biggest nerd. (it ticked me off when they declared Pluto no longer a planet. poor Pluto, lol) yes its a lot of money that can be spent elswhere, but i think its helpful to explore. its in our human nature to want to explore. atleast mine anyway. but if we are doing it to save money then we better spend that money for something useful.

this seriously makes me sad there'll be no more rockets :(

I agree with everything you said, I love reading and looking at things to do with space and so do my 8 and 4 year old boys. We were hoping to catch a launch when we go to Florida in 2011, which won't happen now. :(

[jessica31876]

I was not aware the program was ending completely. I knew the shuttle program was ending and that is supposed to be because the shuttles are so old. I thought they were still going to be developing a new way to explore space though. With it being so close to home for us it is on the news alot and there are thousands who will be out of work in the coming months. I am going to venture a guess that the Visitor's Center will remain open for tourists though.

[Darcy Baldwin]

I doubt the space program will end completely. We're still doing tons of unmanned rockets and longange flights that don't make the kind of news the shuttle program makes. But the shuttle program will be no more after this year. The last night time flight took place last month, and the last scheduled flight is in September.

[jessica31876]

I did a layout of what was supposed to be the last night time flight. Turned out it wasn't because there was one more after it. Here is what the shuttle launch looks like from where I live.

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/data/500/BLAST_OFF1.jpg (http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=910478&title=blast-off&cat=all)

[adrianka]

I did a layout of what was supposed to be the last night time flight. Turned out it wasn't because there was one more after it. Here is what the shuttle launch looks like from where I live.

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/data/500/BLAST_OFF1.jpg (http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=910478&title=blast-off&cat=all)

That's cool!

[pam4gators]

This morning when it came in we were out at field day at school. It scared the kids to death, it seemed loud today compared to previous landings.

[nikkiARNGwife]

This morning when it came in we were out at field day at school. It scared the kids to death, it seemed loud today compared to previous landings.

I bet it was!!...like I said..we heard a "boom" and the house shook a little all the way over here in central MS!

[joelsgirl]

Don't flame me, but I just don't see why we need to spend billions upon billions in wars in foreign countries when we could be using it to explore the oceans, space and other things that will lead to greener energies that depend less on other countries and help the environment (or better yet helping our own poor and taking care of things here at home). *stepping down from soap box now*

Sorry, Heather. My flame thrower is out and just DYING to get used. ; )

We spend billions of dollars on wars in foreign countries because the people there are dying, living without basic human rights and being oppressed by the leaders who should be taking care of them. Look at Korea. Do you think the people of South Korea appreciate us fighting for them so that their country is thriving instead of being the hellhole that North Korea is?

I don't like war, but even worse to me is having the bad luck to be born in a corrupt country without access to running water and electricity, where girls have acid thrown on them for trying to go to school, being denied basic human rights...all while rich countries explore outer space. It may not be our "business" but WHOSE BUSINESS IS IT?? The beaten down and oppressed NEED us. I just feel so thankful to have been born in a developed, prosperous nation, and I totally believe that our place is to be lending a hand to those in need.

{stepping down off *my* soapbox} Can we still be friends? I did, after all, save your baseball layout to my faves. :)

[Nettio]

Sorry, Heather. My flame thrower is out and just DYING to get used. ; )

We spend billions of dollars on wars in foreign countries because the people there are dying, living without basic human rights and being oppressed by the leaders who should be taking care of them. Look at Korea. Do you think the people of South Korea appreciate us fighting for them so that their country is thriving instead of being the hellhole that North Korea is?

Except that the reason the country is divided in the first place is partly our fault. It was the US military leaders who decided after WWII to divide the country along the 38th parallel against the wishes of the majority of the Koreans. Half went to Russia, half to the US (acting as trustees) with the idea that once a government was established the country would be united. But surprise surprise, you had two different opposing government ideologies and they don't end up backing the same leader. Two states were created, one invaded the other, and the Korean War began. Had a single government been created in the first place, then perhaps there would never have been a Korean War, families wouldn't have been ripped apart and North Korea might not be in the state it is today.

I realize you didn't ask for a history lesson :D but my point is that our actions have consequences and in a lot of cases, unintended ones. I wholeheartedly do not agree that we should ever invade a country simply because we don't like their government. It is a slippery slope and not one I think we should have gone down. It's one thing if the country has already been invaded and needs our help (like Korea) but it's totally different to make the decision for them like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If the argument is that we're there to help the people, then why are we not involved in countries in Africa? Because we didn't go into the Middle East out of the goodness of our hearts, we did it to protect our oil interests, which I think is the point Heather was trying to make. If we had instead used those billions of dollars to make our country more self-sustainable through green technologies (rather than practically bankrupting ourselves, overworking our military and their families and pissing off our allies) then perhaps today we'd be in even better shape to offer aid to those countries, rather than the situation we are in now. :)

ETA: Oops, sorry didn't mean to hijack the space thread. I kind of forgot that's the thread this was in. LOL Carry on.

[lovely1m]

I personally love the space program. I went to Space Camp twice as a child. My dream would have been to work for NASA. It was supposed to do the same thing here in ND, Nikki, at 6:15 am and 6:7am, but I didn't hear it. Not sure what happened as I hear the darn garbage trucks near that time.

[ryliesmom]

That is so cool Jessica!!

I didn't hear anything here yest. in West Tennessee; maybe we're too far north or something?

I'm glad they are keeping part of the space program. I think of all the research and new advances in technology that were discovered during the space program; I'd hate to see that research end. It does make me very sad though that there will be no more manned space flights. It has cost us billions of dollars, but I think there's better ways to cut back our spending and not cut back research, but I'm a lab tech so I'm all for science research of any kind. It's the end of an era.