It's been 30 years since the Shuttle Missions began and I remember watching the very first launch at school and imagining one day that I would be on the shuttle shooting off to the stars. Well that dream never came true but I've watch many more shuttle missions including the one that will always stay with me for the rest of my life. I remember like it was yesterday, sitting there in my History class in 9th grade watching the shuttle streak into the sky like it did so many other times but then tragedy struck and my heart dropped as I watched debris falling out of the sky.
Ever since then I've watched every space shuttle launch with a bit of caution. But the worse seemed over until one morning when I heard that Columbia disintegrated on re-entry and once again was devastated and heart broken.
The NASA Space Shuttle program has been a huge success with 135 flights and only 2 accidents. But now after 30 years they are retiring the Shuttle program. Today was the launch of the final space shuttle, Atlantis. I watched it live one last time as they soared into the unknown for one final mission. It was bitter sweet, on one hand they were using 30 year old technology but on the other hand this is the only space travel that I really know. I cried as Atlantis shot into the sky. I was live tweeting with many other viewers and we were sharing this experience virtually.. it was pretty awesome.
I don't know what NASA has planned for the future but it will take us to infinity and beyond.
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