Space Shuttle Discovery's Final Flight

@MandaLee (3756)
United States
April 17, 2012 10:11am CST
Space Shuttle Discovery lands its final flight today. Please share your thoughts and feelings on the end of the space shuttle program.
1 person likes this
11 responses
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
22 Apr 12
The reason America got into a very big loans to world bank it's because of their space exploration. Due to rescission and economic crisis they stop it. Good decision. It's not good to continue
1 person likes this
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
23 Apr 12
They did spend a great deal of money on space exploration.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Wait a minute, what?? No more space exploring? I haven't heard this, is this true?
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Hi carmelanirel, Sadly, yes it is true.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Apr 12
Wow, so I guess America thinks we have explored all we could. What about the other countries?
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
17 Apr 12
I don't know if the other countries will continue to explore space.
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@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
20 Apr 12
The Shuttle Missions should not a ended when they did! They ahould of continued for the time being! I heard George Bush had the idea to discontinue the Shuttle Missions when he was in office and it has happen! How dumb! We have let our space program slide! If we hadn't we would be doing something else now that the space shuttles missions have ended! This was not planned out at all and we need to get our space program back on track! It is sad that our space program has become! It isn't the same like in the 1960's and 1970's! Not at all!
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
20 Apr 12
I agree with you. The shuttle missions should have continued. I think the way that our government has let our space program end is sad. We owe it to future generations to get our space program back to what it once was. Have a great weekend!
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
17 Apr 12
My entire life from 10 on has been spent dreaming of space and space exploration. Memories of the first manned flights, the moon landing when I was 13. Apollo 13 and the fear that they'd not return, reality set in for me with that, I realized it all wasn't a movie or a tv show, it was real. I have watched the shuttle glide in through the clouds, stood for an hour watching it come in. I will miss this. And I think we're giving up something very important to our nation, not only the scientific strides, but that common goal. Gingrich understood the need for something like this to draw us all together like we were in the years surrounding the moon landing effort. He also understood that other nations will do this, pull ahead of us and we will be PAYING them for the benefits they reap.
• Philippines
18 Apr 12
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT Debra, but this is reality and i feel struck knowing "others" would continue the space flight. Space Exploration in US defines how far the country has went to. it's like seeing dark ages again when it should have been an era for more space flights. though i've heard they're next target is a probe or manned flight to mars, that's something worth the wait, in this century that is.
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
20 Apr 12
Debra, I will miss watching the space shuttle launches as well.
@millertime (1394)
• United States
20 Apr 12
Actually, the space shuttle flights ended last July. The "final flight" as it was called was simply Discovery being flown on the back of a 747 from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral to it's resting place at the Smithsonian where it will be put on display. For the time being, the U.S. isn't spending much money on NASA. If we ever get anybody into office that can straighten things out and get the economy back on track, I'm sure we'll start up the space program again. It won't be the shuttles of course, they are all done, but we'll move on to something else. Hopefully, we won't be grounded for very long.
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
21 Apr 12
I hope we are not grounded for very long. Have a great weekend!
• United States
18 Apr 12
it is a very sad thing for me to hear about.... i feel like there is so much to be learned about space and so much more can be discovered and to me it seems as tho they are giving up and that they do not care what else could be out there. it was a great program and i hate to see it end. my husband and i were talking early today and we think that another shuttle will be made and another will be sent to space. it may not be this year, next year, ten years from now but we truely believe that they are not completely done with space just yet. this is just a feeling and out opinion but i hope that is what they decide :)
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
20 Apr 12
Yes it is. Like you, I hope we go back into space someday.
• United States
20 Apr 12
my husband thinks there is no way they can stay out or space. he said they may take a break but at some point there will be someone who will push them to go back up there. not to mention there is so much more space to discover. who knows farther out in space some where there could be another earth...not a real earth but i mean a planet that has life like us and then again there probly isnt or we would have found it by now but how will we ever know if they end the space program. not to mention all the jobs that will be lost...
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
17 Apr 12
My brother actually designed part of the shuttle....and my nephew who is in research had an experiment on the last flight...so for me it's a bit sad. I do think there is so much more to explore.....
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Hi Jill, So do I.
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
17 Apr 12
While the shuttle program accomplished some important things, it was just not what should have followed the moon program. Space is the future of mankind and most politicians had rather spend time and money making the number of lower income people larger who are then dependent on the government in order to have captive voters, than working toward the future of mankind. Eventually these policies will lead to a world that can not sustain itself and no longer has the resources to expand into to space to save itself that way.
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
17 Apr 12
Stealthy, Yes, that is sad and disappointing to think about.
• Philippines
18 Apr 12
Hello Mandalee, I am deeply sad about this, not the one you were expecting. a lot of people are like blaming OBAMA for cancelling future space programs planned by Bush administration but my view here is budget cuts. so much for the reusable space craft, can they just make another one? since they have made several shuttles already? i don't feel living in an era where NASA's space flights kinda putting on an end.So, what happens to the Spaces-tation? frankly, this sucks.
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
20 Apr 12
Hi Letran, Yes, I agree with you. Budget cuts are to blame for the end of the space shuttle program.
• India
18 Apr 12
Well, we have many missions to space and most of them has been a successful one. Most of them satisfy their mission but I wounder what is the need of the same thing again. Is this true piece of information MandaLee ?
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
20 Apr 12
Yes, sadly it is true.
• United States
19 Apr 12
Wow. Truly the end of an era. Private spaceflight just isn't the same.