The space shuttle Atlantis lifted off Friday morning on the final mission of America's 30-year space-shuttle program. The four-member crew blasted off on a 12-day mission just before 11:30 a.m. The four -- all shuttle veterans -- are on their way to deliver supplies to the International Space Station. Full Story »
Posted by Jon Mitchell
Pictures of space launches always excite and fascinate. Video coverage has come a long way from the days of shaky, fuzzy tilt-ups trying to keep the vehicle framed. Now we have HD closeups of rocket motors, cutaways of the crowd, and POVs of boosters falling away. Accompanying the video is good human interest stuff quoting various reactions of people witnessing the final hurrah.
And so as our space shuttle disappears into the clouds and the sun slowly sinks in the West on America’s space programs, we bid a fond farewell to NASA and a hardy hail and hello to the next leader in space, China. Wishing them godspeed on the beginnings of their moon landing project.
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