This is the last operational year for the Space Shuttle, water was found on the moon, SpaceShip Two was unveiled and the Obama administration submitted a new roadmap for NASA’s future. Today, the Shuttle launches for the first time this year, and unfortunately for the last time at night. Endeavour, the spacecraft for this mission, will deliver a third connecting module – the Tranquility node – to the ISS and a seven-windowed cupola to be used as a control room for robotics. The mission will feature three spacewalks.
The pilot, Terry Virts, is a lucky rookie and is obviously looking forward to his first stay in space: “Everybody on their first spaceflight is just looking forward to going into space. It’s an amazing concept to think of leaving the planet Earth, and just not that many people have gotten to do that, so I’m really looking forward to that.
Stiff wind rattled the launch site Saturday night as the fuel flowed into the shuttle, but forecasters were hopeful the gusts would subside in time for the 4:39 a.m. ET liftoff. The odds of good weather were 80 percent.
You have no idea how much I’d give to spend a few hours up there, floating while watching the Earth beneath me thanks to the breathtaking panorama the module is going to provide. But don’t worry, you don’t need to go to space to enjoy beautiful visuals. If you’re on the East Coast, there’s a good chance that you may see the Shutle’s beautiful fire trail rising up in the sky.
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