We Were There to Cheer on STS-1... And To Bid STS-135 A Fond Farewell

Is it really all about to be over and done with? It was just over 30 years ago that saw a much younger, leaner and far less grey Jim Campbell in attendance for the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle. Now, three decades later, its hard to believe that our final sight of the lift-off of Atlantis is the last we will ever envision of such a magnificent rocket powered flying machine.

With the International Space Station flying 220 miles high and east of Christchurch, New Zealand, Atlantis left Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1129 EDT, July 8th. There was a slight delay at T-31 seconds while retraction of the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm, or "Beanie Cap," was verified.

"We're really looking forward to a great mission. This is a very critical mission for station resupply. We're going to do our best to try and stretch out an extra day," said Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager and chairman of the pre-mission Mission Management Team Mike Moses.

"I think the shuttle program is ending exactly as it should. We've built the International Space Station, we're stocking it up for the future, and ready to hand it off, and we finish really, really strong."

Come join ANN's Jim Campbell for a few remarks in honor of an unparalleled achievement... the very American Space Shuttle and a few of the sights and sounds that made the last launch of Atlantis so memorable.  

FMI: www.nasa.gov, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews