Shuttle Discovery Launches For Final Time

Today's is the 39th and final launch of the space shuttle Discovery. I was there at the Cape for the Discovery's first launch in 1984 as a lowly news assistant/gopher for WMFE-PBS in Orlando. It was a terrible gig and my first real post-college jobby-job, but I did get to attend three shuttle launches in the six months I lasted. From outside the media center near the VAB, you can feel the heat of the solid rocket boosters.

25 Years Ago Today

Where were you on this day in 1986?

Photo Of The Day - The Nile From The ISS

(Source)

Grayson: Don't Privatize Space Program

Rep. Alan Grayson opposes the president's plan to dismantle the space program and turn future endeavors over to private industry. Grayson's congressional district in Central Florida doesn't include the Kennedy Space Center, but many space industry employees live in and around Orlando.

Boldly Going To A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Openly gay Intrepid Air & Space Museum director Bill White is asking fans of Star Wars and Star Trek to put down their phasers and light sabers and appear today in full costume at an event to rally support for the campaign to get a decommissioned space shuttle added to the collection of historic vehicles displayed on the deck of the aircraft carrier Intrepid in Manhattan. At this writing, Klingons and storm troopers are gathering in Grand Central.

NY Sen. Tom Duane: Bring The Space Shuttle To New York City

All three space shuttles will be retired next year. Openly gay NY state Sen. Tom Duane wants to bring one of them to NYC for permanent display in Manhattan onboard the Intrepid aircraft carrier.

“On Thursday, by a unanimous vote, the state senate approved a legislative resolution spearheaded by State Senator Thomas K. Duane that enthusiastically endorses the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum’s application to permanently display one of NASA’s three retiring Space Shuttles on Manhattan’s West Side. The Intrepid Museum is competing for the privilege with more than twenty other institutions across the United States,” said the release. The three ships in the Space Shuttle program – Discovery, Endeavor and Atlantis - will be retired in early 2011. This July, NASA will announce the results of a nationwide competition to find homes for each of the three shuttles.

(Via Julie Bolcer @ The Advocate)

Photo Of The Day - Discovery Over Disney

From his vantage point near Disney World's Cinderella's Castle, photographer Kent Phillips captured the space shuttle Discovery on its way to the International Space Station this morning. Big better version here.