Countdown to Shuttle - 33 days

In 33 days, STS-135 (Space Transportation System mission number 135) will be the 135th and last launch of the 30 year space shuttle program that had its first launch on April 12th, 1981.  Mom and I had the opportunity to see this launch in person after it was delayed for two days because of computer program problems.  We took our ski boat out on the intercoastal waterway, across from the launch site early in the morning and pulled up on an island with a lot of other people.  Mike and his wife Emily were with us.  We brought a camp stove to make breakfast and, as Mom puts it, between the bacon and the eggs, we watched the first shuttle take off.

Picture of STS-1, Columbia, the first shuttle launched

For your entire lives, the space shuttle was something that we just did.  You may have had a chapter to study it in history or science in school at some point.  For us, we grew up in the middle of the space program.  The first person was launched into space 50 years ago when I was seven.  When I was a kid, I read everything I could find about rockets and moon plans the way you studied baseball cards or pop stars.  I had more toy rockets than cars or (of course) dolls.

I hope the timing will work for us to see the launch in Florida, but whether it works out or not, this is a good opportunity to tell you a little about the history that surrounded our lives for the past 50 years.  More to follow...