Atlantis Launch (STS-135)

[Smilegirl97xXxXx]

peccato questo era l'ultino lancio dello Space Shuttle

[pbrocker56]

The shuttle airframes are rated for 100 flights. Personally, I don't see why it couldn't have continued (save for the whole money thing), Challenger and Columbia weren't doomed because of old tech or shoddy components, but a lack of safety and inspection.

I'd drop it down to 2 flights a year to keep the ISS supplied and keep using our own system instead of buying seats from the russians instead of cancellation all together, but thats just IMO

[aimhigh59]

@pbrocker56 What were they lacking in inspection?

[pbrocker56]

@aimhigh59 Well, I'm using the term generally to imply that they needed to be a bit more safety conscious. As I understand it, they tested a mock-up of Columbia's wing being fired at by a piece of foam at the speed in which it was traveling, and the result they had was that the wing survived the impact but they could have done an EVA to inspect the wing in orbit to make sure. When dealing with the risks involved with spaceflight, take every precaution is what I'm trying to say, more or less.

[aimhigh59]

@pbrocker56 The foam fired at the wing was after the accident. Mgt. didnt think they should have to do extraordinary things to look for damage on orbit. In the past foam hits were just cosmetic and would be fixed on the ground. They made a bad call on concerns from the engineers. There were too many people involved in the whole decision making process.

[pbrocker56]

@aimhigh59 true, I agree.

It's a sad loss of both shuttles and crew in any case.

[pbrocker56]

@aimhigh59 of course, that is all in my opinion, and results may vary. I know NASA did a great job with the Shuttle and making safety their top priority. It just wasn't old tech and cracks that led to the Shuttle's cancellation, it was, if anything, just human error.

[Lippstadtfan]

1:09 is that a plane ? :o

[idontcare80]

@Lippstadtfan It's the shadow from the shuttle's smoke plume.

[Lippstadtfan]

@idontcare80

oh okay :)

[sugardaddylifestyle]

bye, bye, baby!!!

[Sooksawaspakdee961]

The only thing to do now is to start a new shuttle program, bigger, better, safer. If you can spend 1 billion dollar a day in Iraq you sure as hell can find money for a new space program. The shut down of the shuttle missions is just another shitty legacy from 8 years of Bush.

[GoAtlantis135]

Obama had the opportunity to continue the space shuttle program and he said no. He also said no for the new Constellation program. Thats why we have people blaming Obama for the cancellation of the space shuttle program because he decided not to continue it. Originally it was Bush who ordered cancellation of this program because of the tragic STS-107 Mission loss of those 7 astronauts (may they rest in peace) and the loss of our 1st shuttle, our beloved Columbia.

[trainguy3]

Question

wut the hell do we do now???

[ParaglidingManiac]

@MahaloCalm,

You mean the Shuttles? Oh my, they sure are beautiful and amazing!

[ParaglidingManiac]

@MahaloCalm,

Thank you, I understand. I wanted to point out the colors "appearing".

[ParaglidingManiac]

Look at that halo around the shuttle's shadow as it comes out of the clouds on launch:)

[iAirsoft69]

Why dont you stop giving aid to those back stabbing towel heads? Fucken retard government...

[PhantomDrums917]

@iAirsoft69 Well we've started. The government finally froze $800 million in aid to Pakistan according to my newspaper this week.

[quantumleap7219]

It's interesting how when it actually comes down to cutting government spending, people don't like it. 

[pitkinator]

superb stuff

[divisioneight]

To boldly go where no man has gone before,,,,

Now we have to say it in Russian.

[999lifegoes]

@divisioneight Чтобы смело идти туда, где не ступала нога человека

[airbus91]

f*** obama... if only this could continue

[3ISAMAGICNUMBR]

@airbus91 Yeah, we should cut spending, but not of things I like, right? Dumbass republican. 

[lcf34]

@airbus91 You might think beyond the last couple of years and blame Bush for his 1 billion/day war in Iraq as well...

[fryanventu]

@airbus91 I think there's a lot of reason because of his choice, we can't just beg the space program to continue and then we complain about taxes, and medical assistence, and wedges...

[Estoque1994]

@airbus91 It will, but only in Russia now...

[RandyJ007]

@airbus91 Um, the end of the Shuttle program has NOTHING to do with Obama... much of the shuttle technology is more than 30 years old and it simply costs too much to operate any longer. Now, the President DID shut down the Constellation program, which would have been just as expensive, if not more so. FYI: The end of the Shuttle program has been planned since 2003, when Columbia was destroyed during reentry... and Bush was the President...

[KevinxHD]

@airbus91 bush was the one who wanted to end it in 2004

[DVA5656]

@airbus91 The cancellation of the Space Shuttle Program actually initiated when Bush was president

[fs10inator]

Bye forever.

[Lippstadtfan]

Bye Bye beautiful Space Shuttle :(

[Innoxp]

Bye bye space shuttle... sigh :(

[FromTheOpenWindow]

lol,you can see the shadow of the thick smoke at 1:17

[xRodrigoBorgesx]

just amazing. :O

[GirlonFilm1969]

Thank you Airboy. I was waiting for this video. You are by far the BEST aviation vid producer on Youtube. G-d bless you for your hard work and dedication to bring these videos to us here. You're my fly boy. ;-) ~ Diana

[TheMtaTeam]

so wat if theres a problem with the iss dont they have to launch the shuttle again

[BoeingBeatsAirbus]

@TheMtaTeam No, They go with the Russians......it's really sad that we have to do this...but I think that the private sector will do much better then the government.

[TheMtaTeam]

@BoeingBeatsAirbus now i need to learn russain

[BoeingBeatsAirbus]

@TheMtaTeam Not really. All you need to know is "Где водка?" or "Where is the vodka?" XD

[TheMtaTeam]

@BoeingBeatsAirbus ok ;D

[Xonipher]

So sad.

[michaeljess99]

Amezing!

[TheBadameco]

I love this so much!

[jsturbo1120]

So sad this is the Last Shuttle Launch EVER!!!

[michaeljess99]

@jsturbo1120 :(

[cocka99]

HAsta Siempre Atlantis