Atlantis now headed for space station

[onehandle]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After two frustrating weeks of delays, space shuttle Atlantis and its six astronauts blasted off Saturday on a mission to resume construction of the international space station for the first time since the Columbia disaster 3 1/2 years ago.

The shuttle rose from its seaside launch pad through a partly cloudy sky at 11:15 a.m.

"By our count, it has been almost four years, two return to flight missions, a tremendous amount of work by thousands of individuals," said Brent Jett, Atlantis' commander. "We're confident that in the next few weeks, and the next few years for that matter, NASA is going to prove to our nation and our friends ... that it was worth the wait and we're ready to get to work."

On the ground, NASA kept an eye on several cameras zoomed in on Atlantis as the shuttle streaked into space for any signs of hard foam breaking off its large external fuel tank, the problem that doomed Columbia.

A preliminary review of the launch showed no indication of major foam loss before Atlantis separated from its external fuel tank and NASA declared its crew safely in space. The fuel cells that had forced launch delays earlier this week were working as expected, NASA spokesman Kyle Herring said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060909/ap_on_sc/space_shuttle

[Benhurst]

1. Another great triumph for the military industral complex!

Other than being glad the crew is all right, the way this country is going, I couldn't care less.

[lpbk2713]

2. CNN had a banner on the screen that said the delay from yesterday to today

cost around $650,000.


While it's good that they were cautious for the sake of the crew and for the sake of the overall investment, just to put that in context, that delay alone amounted to much more than I will pay in income taxes during my whole life.

[htuttle]

11. And to put it in further context...

That same $650,000 is spent on the Iraq war about every 7 minutes.

[El Zopilote]

3. Money to Burn

Money wasted on the space program could be used to help the poor. Hopefully the new Democratic Senate and President will abolish the whole progam.

[Odin2005]

10. Screw you

Compared to the money wasted in Iraq, NASA is pocket change. I'm sick of you NASA-bashers.

[Dem2theMax]

4. The launch was beautiful to watch, as always.

And for the usual naysayers, geez, go do a search on all the benefits you have in life BECAUSE of the space program. Every time it's blah blah blah blah blah about the horrible people at NASA wasting money. We all benefit, every day of our lives, from what has come from the space program.

You'd "think" DU'ers would be a bit more educated on the subject.

[Benhurst]

5. Have another sip.

[Beausoir]

6. Self Delete

Because it's not worth the effort.

[Dem2theMax]

7. You'd "think" DU'ers would be a bit more educated on the subject.

nt

[Benhurst]

8. Yeah, like keeping up with how the Bush administration has

corrupted NASA.

This ain't John F. Kennedy's old organization anymore.


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/science/earth/29climate.html?ex=1296190800&en=28e236da0977ee7f&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/07/22/nasa-quietly-had-its-mission-statement-changed/


Etc., etc., etc.

[raysr]

9. "I wonder what they do in there"