Watch SHUTTLE LAUNCH @ 6:36PM EDT (Endeavour, carrying first teacher in space, Barbara Morgan!)

[shireen]

STS-118/Endeavour
Launch Date: Aug. 8
Launch Time: 6:36 p.m. EDT

Live Feeds:
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/video/
Clicking on "Primary RealPlayer Stream" worked for me

Also try
http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/cdt/
(select "Launch Streaming Video Feed" at the top right of page)

Info abt launch:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

CBS article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/08/tech/main3146793.shtml

[peacebird]

1. The Challenger disaster was carrying the first teacher in space

It might be nice to rephrase your title. Not to put down Barbara Morgan but Christa McAuliffe was the first teacher to lift off in a space shuttle.



http://space.about.com/cs/deceasedastronaut/a/mcauliffe.htm

[shireen]

3. Barbara Morgan will be the FIRST teacher in space.

Technically, Christa McAuliffe was not the first teacher in space because she never made it to orbit.

Assuming we do not have another catastrophe, and I'm confident we won't, this mission will make Barbara Morgan the first teacher in space.

[peacebird]

5. wow - you may be "technically" correct but you are definitely one COLD piece of work

[shireen]

10. i was just stating a fact, that insult was unnecessary.

And especially hurtful because I have emotional and indirect professional connections to the shuttle program. The original post was just to notify people that the launch could be viewed on-line, and it was especially significant because it was carrying Barbara Morgan. That was all.

You turned it into an attack; you have no idea how I feel about Challenger and Columbia. Your comment was hurtful and insulting.

[Rainscents]

13. I don't understand why people do that...

Yes, it is painful... it happened to be many times too. We all have right to our opinion and it is each indivisual Free Choice.

[peacebird]

19. I also had connections professionally to the space program, part of why I felt your original title

was a slap in the face to the memory of Christa McAuliffe. In my first post I was merely asking you politely to edit your title out of respect for the dead. My second post should have been left on the editting floor but your comment about Barbara Morgan "technically" being the first teacher in space just REALLY rubbed me the wrong way.

I am sorry my comment was hurtful, but your "technicality" response was also quite unhelpful, and seemed quite disrespectful to the first teacher to be chosen for the space program.
peace

[piedmont]

23. It wasn't a technicality. Christa McAuliffe was never in space.

Truth sometimes hurts, but we can't pretend it away.

[shireen]

26. huh?

The original post and my first response to you was strictly informative. It was not a memorial thread. And I can't believe you're getting so bent out of shape over the word "technical." The use of that word was entirely appropriate in that context.

I have not forgotten Challenger and Columbia. I simply chose to keep the focus of the thread on Endeavour. If you are so offended that I did not raise McAuliffe's memory, you could have started your own thread about it instead of insulting me for not doing it!

This is my last post in response to your comments.

[Maddy McCall]

41. You didn't do anything wrong..

I am glad you posted that info. I had not thought about it that way. Ms. McAuliffe has her own place in history. As does Ms. Morgan now.

:)

[Maddy McCall]

37. Good lord.

:eyes:

[JuniperLea]

44. If you Google...

"First teacher in space" you get stories about Christa McAuliffe. I don't think it's a stretch at all to think of her first. Google does. I think she has been posthumously awarded that title by society; that's what our hearts say. I think it's pretty heartless to call another teacher the first. I'm betting Barbara, who was the alternate for Christa, will say something about this.

[JuniperLea]

42. This is pretty sad...

I have to agree with you... although I wish I didn't have to...

It's no disrespect to this current teacher to leave the "first" bit out of this... I don't think it's right. If I imagine myself as a student of, parent of, or widower of the first teacher, I'd be pretty shocked, hurt, and dismayed at this.

[uppityperson]

9. yeah, but Christa spent her spring break

all over the Caribbean.

Edited to add, I count Christa as the first teacher in space, even if she didn't get far into space or for very long.

[JuniperLea]

38. Me too...

I don't think it detracts from this other teacher if they would just leave the "first" anything out of it. It just doesn't sit well... really.

[JuniperLea]

40. EW! I just re-read

That's just wrong.

[uppityperson]

43. if we don't laugh we drown in our tears.

[northzax]

7. just out of curiosity

who do you think is the first person to climb Mt. Everest? George Mallory, since he was going to be the first, but died on the way, or the Hillary/Norgay team, since they made it up?

Christa McAuliffe was the first teacher chosen for the Space Program. she, alas, never made it to space. That's not cold, that's reality.

[shireen]

11. thanks ...

Challenger and Columbia hurt like hell. I still cry when I think about those dear souls we've lost.

[MisterHowdy]

2. I wish she was the 2nd teacher in space.

n/t

[shireen]

4. me too, R.I.P Christa ....

[L. Coyote]

14. ON that cold morning, What was VP Bush up to, and did that influence not cancelling

the launch.

The Press might have turned its attention to Bush's illegal transfer of $100 million to the Contras on that fateful day if the launch was scubbed. They knew it was too cold to launch, but went ahead anyway. Was that decision made by the White House?

FROM:

PERHAPS NOT ALL DAYS WILL WE BE IN THIS WORLD
or
ATENCION TODO PASAJERO.

A young boy just arrived selling today's newspapers with front page color photographs of the space shuttle "Challenger" exploding. I bought La Prensa, which reports that US Vice-President George Bush accused Nicaragua of hiding its Marxist-Leninist system of government contrary to the democratic aspiration of the people. Bush, at a news conference held in the Central Bank Building in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, stated that the USA unconditionally supports the more than 20,000 men in arms, the contras, who since 1982 have tried to overthrow the regime in Nicaragua with U.S. financing and bases installed in Honduras. Bush stated that the U.S. is committed to help Honduras in its effort to defend its sovereignty and territory against the communist aggression. So reads La Prensa.

A separate article about U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz's meeting in Washington, D.C. with contra leaders cites Alfonso Robelo as having said: "We can continue to fight without money, but we cannot win." He also said that it is cheaper for the U.S. to finance the contras than to intervene directly. While the Challenger article laments the accidental death of seven people other articles coldly report preplanning and prepaying to kill thousands of people. .....

http://www.jqjacobs.net/writing/fa_part4.html

[shireen]

33. Reagan's state of the union speech was supposed to be that night

and there's suspicion of WH pressure to get the shuttle launched that day so Reagan could use it as a prop, be able to say a teacher was in space at that moment. Of course, they denied it. They were even uncertain about cancelling the SOTU speech, but later decided to delay it a week or so -- geez, they had to think that long about it, they didn't notice the country was in shock and mourning?!

The writer makes an interesting statement about "death." People, in the form of anonymous statistics, die all the time in war, street violence, organized crime, terrorism, etc.. These deaths come from the negative aspects of our society. All of us need to be in some level of denial about these ills to mentally survive. The US space program represents the positive aspects of society, the amazing things humankind can achieve when they put their talents to inspiring and wondrous pursuits. It makes us feel good. So, when we lost 7 astronauts on that cold January morning, it wasn't just their deaths that affected us, it was the loss of dreams and hopes that they represented. We've still not become used to that kind of tragedy, that's why it made the headlines. Meanwhile, thousands have died in Iraq, we've lost more than 2500 soldiers, and for most MSM, it does not warrant headlines. It's one of the reasons why I appreciate Countdown; KO always closes the show with the number of days since the "invasion."

[L. Coyote]

50. Saw the local lawn sign today with the death toll. Now 3665.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

18. Had the Challenger disaster not happened, she'd be the 17th or so. -nt

[RL3AO]

6. Nothing like a shuttle launch. Endeavours first launce since 2001.

[karlrschneider]

8. kicking

...

[karlrschneider]

12. Beanie coming off, 2 minutes & counting

...

[Maddy McCall]

15. We are watching!

[Beaverhausen]

16. Kick- Godspeed, Endeavour

[karlrschneider]

17. Counting down 20...15...10...9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Ignition

liftoff

[shireen]

20. AWESOME Liftoff!

How about those shuttle cams! I wish they showed more views from there. Watching the world rush away is such an amazing sight!

I always breathe a sigh of relief after SRB separation, the most dangerous part of ascent is over!

Watch for main engine separation coming up, should be incredible. :)

[Mojorabbit]

21. Just stepped outside

to watch. Beautiful launch!

[karlrschneider]

25. One of the (not too many) things I miss not living in FL any more.

;-)

I took pics of the Challenger and didn't understand what I was seeing until I went back inside to the teevee. (from my back yard in Tampa)

[shireen]

30. that must have been very difficult

i'm so sorry to hear that. It was a shock to all, and for you to see it, and later realize what you were witnessing must have been very painful.

[Mojorabbit]

32. I was at work

and one of my patients called me into her room to show it to me outside her hospital window. Horrible sight.

[shireen]

35. so sorry

seeing something like that with your own eyes ... very traumatic. Many of us remember exactly what we were doing when we heard about Challenger. I still do, vividly. For you, it was actually seeing it. Very sad.

When I was at a launch in 1990, one of the NASA volunteer escorts at the viewing stands told me that she was on duty when Challenger happened. They had to usher people into the buses quickly due to concerns of toxic gases drifting in (they were probably never in any danger). Some of her people were family members, and she said the shock was overwhelming.

[Divine Discontent]

27. you gotta be close

my relative is about 7 mi from launch and they said after 45 seconds or so it was so hazy up there that you couldn't even see it after the initial viewing. Thank goodness for those cameras!

[Mojorabbit]

31. It is hazy today

High ozone levels but the launch was perfect from Orlando.

[shireen]

29. oh I envy you! :-) nt

[RL3AO]

22. The media is starting to get bored again with these

CNN used to have 1 hour non-stop coverage before the launch but not today. Just like the other channels.

[applegrove]

24. Thank gosh they made it so far. Rocket boosters are off!

[Divine Discontent]

28. Yay! The 2nd teacher in a shuttle liftoff appears to be safe & sound

with the rest of the crew! This is great news, I'm very very happy for her, and them. Looked like a safe launch to me from the footage.

[Zech Marquis]

34. I'm watching the NASA channel now..

and why is the external fuel tank still connected tot he Shuttle?... I just turned the coverage, so did I miss anything?...ah, now the tank is jettioned, what a cool view!!

[shireen]

36. normal and spectacular launch

you're watching reruns. :)

[Zech Marquis]

39. thank you!

Yep, that's what NASA is showing now, I hope they have a replay on the Discovery HD or HDNet channel shortly!

[shireen]

45. Opps! Made a mistake... NOT first teacher in space. sorry. She's now a professional astronaut.

Just heard this on a NASA press conference. Apparently, Morgan is not a teacher anymore. She became a professional astronaut.
So my title is wrong, she's not the first teacher in space after all. We're still waiting for that.

But she will be doing lesson plans from space.

[never_get_over_it]

46. Actually you're not really wrong

I live about 5 miles from the space center and just got back about a half an hour ago from going to see the launch. NASA has been advertising Morgan as the first teacher in space - at least on the media I have heard. When I first heard it I was annoyed and do not agree with them portraying her that way - even though TECHNICALLY they are correct - so I understand the sentiments expressed on this thread about this issue. Morgan apparently was the backup for Christa and became an astronaut after that and has waited for 20 years to get into space - so first or second "teacher" in space God speed to her....and although I didn't live in FL when the Challenger blew up - had a profound affect on me - I was very taken with Christa's story and mourn that she never made it - I've even kind of wished that if it had to happen that it happened on the way back so she/they could have had that experience....

On edit the launch was awesome - perfect weather here today - and it was great to see it - went to the beach even though I can see it from my back yard - felt like going to the beach today - and then had to wait through the traffic to get home - well worth it!!!!

[dnbmathguy]

47. From what I heard

She's an "educator-astronaut", and she wants to return to teaching in a classroom after leaving NASA. So I guess you can still call her a teacher.

[leftchick]

48. what a waste of money

Much like all of the cash wasted on defense, NASA's budget is a waste. I want to see homes for the homeless and insurance for all among many more dire needs. Then perhaps we should look to expand exploration.

and before anyone jumps on my ass read this....http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1546129

[shireen]

49. we should never stop exploration, be it in space or on Earth

it inspires innovation. it motivates. it gives us hope. Curiosity and wonder are powerful drivers.

It's so hard to justify it in the face of so many other injustices, as your Walmart post illustrates. But scrapping the space program, or for that matter, funding for basic science and engineering research, is a mistake. A part of us needs to keep on dreaming and discovering, to remind ourselves of what great and amazing things we are capable of achieving as a society.

I feel angry about what that old man has to endure; he's the victim of callous irresponsible policies created by self-serving psychopaths. We need to go after the people who have made his life so difficult. (BTW, next time you're at Walmart, could you talk to the manager, to see if he can be moved to an indoor position? It makes no sense for a sick man to be working in this kind of heat.)