Last flight of a Dream.

 

Not many people remember where they were on April 12 1981. Strangely enough I do. I remember coming home after my mom picked me up. We watched the news on one of our 3 channels. We always watched NBC nightly news with John Chancelor. They were all a buzz over the first shuttle launch. For those of you that weren't alive during those days you got the news from TV in the evening or from the newspaper. There was no internet and there was no 24 hour news. Anyway I digress. They played a replay of the shuttle launch with Vangelis' Chariots of fire playing over it. It was the single most cool thing my young mind had seen. It was awesome.

    July 8th of this year Ronda and I carried the kids down to Canaveral to see the final launch. When Atlantis launched at around 11:28 that morning and disappeared into the clouds I was struck how bittersweet the moment was. I looked around at the crowed some just kept staring into the sky, others cheered. Some were crying. I kinda teared up myself. It was like watching a old friend leave knowing the next time you saw them they wouldn't quite be themselves.

   This morning at 5:57 A.M the shuttle Atlantis touched down on the runway at Canaveral for the last time. It was the end of a era. I hope that my kids get to carry their children to see a launch because its awesome. I can't help but think of all the Men and Women that gave their lives for the advancement of the space program.  To the men and women who dedicated their lives to the space program and NASA I say thank you. When I was young you introduced me to life long love of flight and technology.

          And on a July morning in 2011 you helped a lot of people including me feel like a kid again.
                                           Thank you