The space shuttle program has brought the world so many benefits. Dr. Michael DeBakey's artificial heart pump, liquid cooling garments, light weight breathing systems for firefighters, safer school bus chassis, mechanical arms that assist doctors during surgery, GPS, better parachutes, and over 1500 other items all come to us from NASA during the shuttle program.
Besides being beautiful, Shuttle really was ahead of her time, and in many ways still is. No other nation has been able to create a space craft that can be flown time and time again. Shuttle's safety record exceeded anyone's expectations, and her payload capacity is unmatched.
On Thursday, Congress announced NASA's 2012 fiscal budget, giving the agency 1.6 billion LESS than in 2011, despite the fact they want a new manned vehicle and rocket ready to go 'soon'. Umm....?
Isaac and I watched the STS-135 launch from Teague Moratorium at JSC with many other employees and their families. Chris Ferguson is the father of a former student of mine, and Rex Walheim works with Isaac on many of his projects and his family attends church with us. We enjoyed seeing familiar faces strapping into the shuttle and then prepare to launch. Aside from a computer reading saying the oxygen vent hood arm might not be retracted all the way at T-minus 31 seconds, the weather held and the launch was gorgeous. I know I wasn't the only sappy person in the auditorium shedding tears, but that isn't an odd thing for me.
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| It won't be on Shuttle, but this boy is going to fly someday! |
Shuttle, we'll miss you! Thank you for the dreams you have inspired and the realities you've made happen for so many.
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