3,2,1 Blast off!!

It's hard to believe that today marks the end of an era. NASA launched its final shuttle today. Three men and one woman will venture into space on Atlantis. How cool is that? These pioneers are in a exclusive club with of brave souls that have been exploring outer space for decades now. My students and I don't know a time that astronauts weren't traveling outside the comfort of our atmosphere. It wasn't long ago that all Americans were dreaming of a time that men and women would blast off into the great unknown. I think we take space travel for granted now, and forget how dangerous this job is. I remember watching the Challenger shuttle explode just a little over a minute into flight in January of 1986. Then as a nation we again watched the Columbia shuttle explode in February of 2003. We are reminded the risk behind exploration and discovery. As a teacher and a life long learner, I greatly appreciate their bravery. Good luck to the crew of Atlantis, and we wish you a safe return to the comforts of Earth!