29 Years

January 28, 1986 around 10:40 AM CST?

Do you know where you were? I do, the exact spot I was standing.

Working at the Michoud Assembly Facility supporting the Space Shuttle Program, It was a habit to go to the nearest television monitor and watch the launches. We all held our breath until the Shuttle was inserted into orbit, then returned to our desks to resume our work.

Launches were "textbook" by 1986, everyone knowing what came when the bird blasted off.

Here's a script of the communications between the astronauts and command center.

When the words "go with throttle up" everything for the Space Shuttle Program changed.

In this photo from Jan. 9, 1986, the Challenger crew takes a break during countdown training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Left to right are Teacher-in-Space payload specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe; payload specialist Gregory Jarvis; and astronauts Judith A. Resnik, mission specialist; Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, mission commander; Ronald E. McNair, mission specialist; Mike J. Smith, pilot; and Ellison S. Onizuka, mission specialist.

Image Credit: NASA

The Program went through so many changes from January 1986 until September 1988, when the redesigned system launched again.

After we started launching again, I cringed every time the "go for throttle up" command was given, right down to the last launch in 2011.

The Space Shuttle Program history, with new programs gearing up for launches to Mars and beyond.

A huge thank you to ALL of us who were part of this awesome, exciting 30 year ride.

Endeavour's last flight

Space shuttle Endeavour and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft took off Wednesday morning, Sept. 19,2012 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin the first leg of a mission to deliver the retired shuttle to Los Angeles where it will go on display. The flight will be the last ferry flight of the space shuttle era, capping nearly 35 years of shuttles riding atop modified 747s, counting the approach and landing tests conducted by Enterprise in 1977.

I'm so sad.

Update 8:45 AM: It just flew over Michoud. Now I'm very sad. Farewell, Space Shuttle Program.