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Last Shuttle Flight
Date :
03 /
07 /
2011
Author :
Tony Hutchison - VK5ZAI
A veteran Australian astronaut has recalled the exhilarating experience of being thrust into space on the eve of NASA's final shuttle launch.
Dr Andrew Thomas, 59, has described the unique view from the rocket seat, during what most people would consider the ultimate joyride. "Looking out the window, I can see the ground rushing away [and] it's just this plume of fire that we're riding on," he told Nine News. The aerospace engineer who has completed four flights and logged more than 177 days in space said he could see flecks of electricity through his cabin window as the aircraft left the earth's atmosphere and entered zero gravity. "As you leave the upper atmosphere, you're travelling at hypersonic velocity and you see these sparkles of electricity around the window and then it's just quiet and still, and any loose objects in the cabin just float up around you," Dr Thomas said. "And there you are in orbit, 360 km above the earth, at 27,500 kph, it’s the ride of your lifetime." NASA's Atlantis shuttle is scheduled for its last flight on July 8, with weather and mechanics permitting.
With an aging fleet and costs of about $1.5 billion per shuttle launch, the US government decided it was time NASA shut down its shuttle program. It means Russia and private companies will take the lead in transporting people into space. Thousands of highly skilled workers will be laid off and all of the retired training facilities and resources will find new home in museums across the world. And Dr Thomas said he will definitely be watching the historic final launch on Saturday with great anticipation, tinged with a sense of reflection. He said: "When that last shuttle rolls to a stop on the runway, and the commander applies the breaks, and calls out 'wheels stop', that is a defining end of the program.
It's sad to know this is the last flight for the shuttle fleet. I have been told there will be a large crowd at Kennedy Space Port watching the final launch and that many of the NASA staff are going over to Kennedy to witness the last flight. It's of special interest to me as astronaut Dr. Sandy Magnus is in the crew. I have worked with Sandy on numerous occasions and formed a close friendship. Below is one of the thank you letters she sent me after her Exp.18 flight.
Regards Tony. VK5ZAI
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