The Bobcat Nation

Did anyone else catch the space shuttle this morning? It flew over MT about 5:10 and we saw it about quarter after 6 our time. The boys and I went out and watched for it, just a little tiny speck of light but still cool to see!! They embellished it a bit and said they could make out the wings and the payload doors We did not hear the double sonic boom they said we may here, but it wasn't on reentry yet so it must have been too high.

I'm sad about the end of the shuttle! I remember my dad waking me in the middle of the night to watch the very first liftoff. I was consumed with space through most of elementary school and planned to be an astronaut for many years! And when we were driving through the Mojave in probably '85 we saw a shuttle landing but didn't know what it was (it was HUGE!! the little military planes looked like toys next to it) until we heard on the radio about an hour later that one had landed in the desert.

It's on reentry now and will be flying near Helena

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Thats great you got to see it Chi!!

last year when the shuttle de-docked?? from the ISS... chester saw two bright lights, one chasing the other, in a straight line across the sky. it was pretty cool.

Chester has a mole down at the Cape who has gotten to go out on the rocket booster recovery dives in the atlantic... the pics (including underwater shots) are awesome. chester would share but they're classified, sorry fellow BN Space Dorks

these however are not classified from the 4.5.10 launch:

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http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz16 ... 1271775081" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz16 ... 1271775047" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My wife was fortunate to see a couple of liftoffs in her teens. Her grandparents lived in Titusville, which is right across the water from Cape Canaveral.

I can remember exactly where I was at when they announced the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Sitting in Mr. Connors history class, when the announcement came over the school intercom. Then, later in the day, had a class with Mr. Dorrance, an electronics teacher who was one of the final candidates for a chance to ride in the Challenger. Pretty powerful stuff to remember the details 20+ years later.

I'm sadly going to live through the end of the shuttle program having never seen a take off/landing. My office mate called me up this am at 6:30 and told me about the re entry. Got my son out of bed in time to see the brief streak across the Helena sky.

How can you look at photos or video of those launches and not think that has to be the coolest thing in the world? Sadly, I'll never get to see it in person. Was in Florida this January a couple weeks before the February flight, but no way could be around for launch. Will be one of those things I will regret never being able to see in person

not so fast Kitty: you still have three more chances to see a liftoff. there are still three scheduled shuttle liftoffs left: May 14, July 29 and the final on Sept 16.

I had the good fortune to watch Columbia land at Edwards AFB back in June '91. Quite a sight! I'd love to see a launch, too, but that's not going to happen.

Sadly, I can remember exactly where I was when Columbia broke up on re-entry (a hotel in San Diego), and when Challenger exploded (watching on TV in the SUB).

Last year we were in Florida for the week they were planning a launch. My MIL and I were prepared to head to Kennedy to watch it, I would LOVE to see one take off live. But they delayed it a week (I think they even delayed that another week)

I still in the throws of my "I'm going to be an astronaut" phase when the Challenger blew up. I can clearly remember sitting in class listening to the radio wondering what they were talking about (and probably why my teacher had the radio on?) I don't think I left the couch that night, I just watched Headline News over and over.

Sadly, the only thing that really made me believe I couldn't be an astronaut was thinking I couldn't pass the physical aspects of the training As I'm training for a half marathon that seems really silly now. And makes me sad!!! I'd still give anything to go into space.