Last ever space shuttle launch

[Jay]

Kinda sad that the epic shuttles will be laid to rest after this launch, they're by far the most entertaining launches to watch.

http://www.ustream.tv/nasaedge

[snifferdog]

I dont know why they dont keep using them until the replacement is ready.

Theyre gonna have to cadge lifts off the Russians for the next few years.

[mac7]

I doubt we will see a US manned spacecraft inside the next 10 years - and then it will just be a conventional rocket.

Like the grounding of Concorde - another step backwards.

[Chris MKV]

I dont know why they dont keep using them until the replacement is ready.

Theyre gonna have to cadge lifts off the Russians for the next few years.

They have decided that it is cheaper to rent rockets / space in other peoples rockets.

They are going to use the money saved to invest in the next era of space flight not the current one - apparently. 

[snifferdog]

That sounds fair enough, I hope thats how it works out!

[Jay]

It was ace, I would have liked to have been there seeing as it was the last one.

[monkeyalan]

they should just dock it to the iss as a prefab extenstion and pop back to earth in an escape capsule.