Go Atlantis! I will miss these shuttle launches.

I can usually can watch the shuttle go up from where I live in west central Florida. Not today. Too cloudy and rainy. At least it’s 75 degrees outside.

Sad day for many here in Florida. The space shuttle will be missed. I question the decision that ended the use of the space shuttle. Also is a blow to our economy.

I think the huge sums of money that go for space exploration could be much better spent. And no I am not anti science or scientific research. What I am for is scientific researching that could be of much more pragmatic use. There are still many diseases and some of them killers, especially cancers, heart disease, diabetes and more than imho are much more in need of scientific research. Can the US govt. really afford to fund exploring planets , and other heavenly bodies simply for the science of it? The US in case it wasn’t noticed is it serious debt. Is there really enough money for space exploration for no pragmatic reasons, ie pure science? And yes one may say there are benefits of this kind of research. But really it is the most efficient, ie most effective and cost effective way to go? Plus the safety issues. Do you remember Challenger and other deadly incidents? I say if you want to be exploring space for pure science than do with your own funding. There is a terrible debt problem, environmental problems, crime, in other words many major problems in the US and for that matter here on earth to be concerned about outer space.

Need to look at a much brighter thought process like the one you have right now. Cuts and spendratures need to be aligned properly to gain all exploration programs on earth and hopefully other planets.