I would rather see it from the ground but this will do

[Bub]

http://www.wimp.com/shuttlelaunch/

 

[MartinH]

That's pretty cool. I'm going to be really sad when they retire the fleet. I grew up in the 80's and I thought that we'd have shuttle type of crafts that could take off from the earth and fly into space. The space shuttle is a very cool thing. It was a symbol of the greatness of this country back then.

 

[Natch]

I'm rather surprised they allow commercial air corridors so close to the launch pad. I would think that it would be restricted airspace for a long way out.

Natch

 

[LL]

I'm going to be really sad when they retire the fleet.

For the nostalgia, yes; for practical reasons, no.

The shuttle ultimately failed because it never lived up to the promise of its design. It was assumed that "re-usable" meant "inexpensive" when nothing could have been further from the truth. The stage rocket concept was, and has remained, a MUCH cheaper way to get into orbit.

Maybe now that the legacy equipment has finally worn out, we'll get serious about developing a better solution.

 

[Hermit]

Maybe now that the legacy equipment has finally worn out, we'll get serious about developing a better solution.

See any evidence of that? :evil:

 

[LL]

Maybe now that the legacy equipment has finally worn out, we'll get serious about developing a better solution.

See any evidence of that? :evil:

None whatsoever.

I was just bending to the Forum expectation of baseless positivity for its own sake.

 

[Anonymous]

NeverAStraightAnswer

:face:

 

[sstodvictory]

Burt Rutan and his X-Prize collaborators stand on the shoulders of the NASA X-plane research and space shuttle programs, and have added their own innovations that make their effort just as amazing as the government programs, IMO. I recently viewed this DVD set describing their innovations and the commercial spin-off following the X-Prize effort. Its well worth the purchase price.

http://www.collectspace.com/resources/reviews/dvd/black_sky.html

Steve

 

[LL]

Burt Rutan and his X-Prize collaborators stand on the shoulders of the NASA X-plane research and space shuttle programs, and have added their own innovations that make their effort just as amazing as the government programs, IMO.

By purest chance I got to see the X Prize flight in person.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceShipOne_flight_16P

I was driving across southern California on Hwy 58, saw enough news trucks near Edwards AFB to make me stop and ask some spectators on the shoulder what was up, and they said stick around, the show is about to start.

I always travel with a good set of binoculars, so climbed on top of my load and had a perfect view. All that was missing was the popcorn.

 

[CPl_A]

I love the piolet telling the people on the left said that they can see the right side watching the shuttle launch.