That's That

I can't imagine it comparing to the Apollo program of the 1960's, but the space shuttle program was MY space program; I can still remember holding off going outside to wait for the bus (which was probably still about 45 minutes away) as the final countdown for the first one was going on. Then, I think, it stopped with 39 seconds left. Though that might be apocryphal on my part. Then I remember Jane Pauley saying Joe Louis had just died, so I wrote out the barber shop scenes for Coming to America while I waited. I was at the perfect age for that launch, 4th grade, and I wrote a letter to NASA to the captain. Never heard back (won't Facebook him - I am too proud.) Twas the year I wrote to NASA and got back a buncha shit about Mars. - XMASTIME

Looks like this morning's final launch was flawless.  Which is good, since as we know, if there's a drop of rain the entire thing fucking shuts down.  Grr.

I also remember reading once that the exhaust goes eastward, because they use the rotation of the Earth to add thrust.  Shit like that astounds me.  I would never have thought about that, which makes it very interesting to wonder where we'd be at in space travel if I had been in charge of it from Day 1.  Hmm.  Yes, that IS interesting.