After a successful thirteen-day mission to resupply the six-man crew aboard the
International Space Station, the
Space Shuttle Atlantis returned home to Earth for the final time marking the end of
NASA's
Space Transportation System (
the official name of the Space Shuttle Program).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14220423http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2011-07-21-shuttle-atlantis-landing_n.htmWith the Shuttle program now over, American astronauts will be flying to space with their Russian counterparts. Meanwhile, India and China are hoping to take their places among the nations reaching for the stars.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/russianow/society/7559293/Space-programme-American-astronauts-hitching-a-ride-with-Russias-Soyuz.htmlNASA officials, however, have stated that human spaceflight will always be part of their overall plans. Although the private sector will most likely be taking over the U.S.' drive towards interstellar exploration, NASA will remain committed to creating new technology that will be essential to the future of the U.S. space program.
http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2011/07/nasa-administrator-promises-great-new-age-for-human-spacefligh/ On a personal note, I can only hope that the end of one era of space exploration will be the beginning of a newer and greater one. Maybe--
just maybe--the Philippines might never directly explore the galaxy (
and perhaps I've watched too much space movies in my lifetime) but I've always believed that space exploration is not the province of one or a select few nations but rather it is an adventure shared by all humanity.
The NASA Orbiter Tribute for the Space Shuttle Atlantis
(Credits go to the original photographers/posters/owners. Messrs. Moderators, please delete if this is a duplicate post. If there are any errors in the information provided, please make the necessary corrections. If these were posted in the wrong thread, please move them to the appropriate location. Thank you very much!)
