Atlantis final journey took place on July 8, 2011 at 11:29 a.m. EDT. Kids around the world were witness to the final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis as Atlantis made the final journey 200 miles into space to launch with the International Space Station. As Space Shuttle Atlantis prepared for launch, many of us boys and girls were glued to the television so that we could witness the Atlantis final journey.
With Atlantis Final Journey a Chapter in History was Closed.
July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 was the space flight that first landed humans on the moon and an era of continued space exploration was born. At the time of the moon landing many of our parents and certainly us kids not yet born. The moon landing is only history that has been relayed to us. The space program that continued after the moon launch was something we have been able to witness first hand. Will the final launch mean an end to America’s space program?
During this past spring vacation my family visited the Kennedy Space Center. Just being there made me feel more connected when I listened to Atlantis Commander Chris Ferguson as he prepared for the final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis along with pilot Doug Hurley, mission specialist Sandra Magnus and mission specialist Rex Walheim.
Just prior to the launch of Atlantis Commander Chris Ferguson said, “The shuttle’s always going to be a reflection of what a great nation can do when it commits to be bold and follow through,” “We’re completing a chapter of a journey that will never end. Let’s light this fire one more time, and witness this great nation at its best.”
America’s space program has not ended. The launch of Atlantis has ended one journey in our space program. I can hardly wait to see what the next chapter of our journey will bring and how us kids of today will get to experience it first hand.
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