After twenty-one straight days of working (including the pilot, podcast, and Fruit stand), I have come to Florida for what will be the end of the Space Shuttle program. Â Florida is known for many things, including Disney World, breakfast buffets (go ahead, Google “Breakfast Buffet”; the first suggested search is “Breakfast Buffet Orlando”), Â and most of my immediate family. However, to me, the most important thing in Florida, besides the oppressive humidity and my parents, is Launch Complex 39.
Complex 39 is like a place one would read about in science fiction, like the Utopia Planitia in Star Trek where the Enterprise D was built, or the rift in Cardiff where the TARDIS can land and draw power.  These are starting points for great adventures, adventures across time and space, into the reaches of the  unknown.  Only thing is, Launch Complex 39 is REAL.  It is the place where the Saturn V was first sent into orbit around Earth with Apollo 4.  The place where Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins used  7.6 MILLION pounds of thrust to break free of the Earth’s gravity and visit another celestial body for the first time in the history of humanity. (This is all assuming “Ancient Aliens” on the History Channel is full of shit)
Complex 39 has also been the home of the Space Shuttle since 1981. Â Think about that. Â Before I was born, humans had built a spacecraft that could not only leave the Earth and enter orbit, but could also return to Earth and be used again! Â Next month, I turn 28 and we are still using the same shuttles. While this is a testament to NASA and the crews of the Shuttle program, for not only building a reliable fleet of space craft but for continuing to use them, this should also serve as a damning of political climate and a continuing emphasis on tax dollars moving away from sciences. Â I mean, really? 30 years and we are still using basically the same ships? Â Shouldn’t there have been like a “super space shuttle” or an “Enterprise-A” Â by now?
I shall now step off my futuristic soap box and say to each and every one of you that what is happening on Friday is the end of an era, an era that I am so proud to have been around to see. Thursday and Friday, I will be at the Kennedy Space Center. Â I have been lucky enough to be invited to be part of the Tweet-up for STS-135. This is the final bow for the Atlantis Orbiter and the Space Shuttle program. Â It is truly an honor to be part of this historic moment, and if all of you kind readers don’t mind, I will try to share as much as I can on the site.
Not only are the stopping the shuttle program. They are stopping the quest of mars. Barack Obama needs to step down. He’s in Americas worst interest and I hope he loses the upcoming election because he’s an idiot.
Yay! A Matt Mira post!!
I’m just gonna echo the sentiment of “Yay Matt!”!! I hope your adventures near the space shuttle are great and that you keep up the great blogging.
That is some amazing writing there Matt! Have a great time these next few days being a part of history!
PS I loved the post!! Now, for the tweets…Noodle Stories? (am I getting all these references wrong??) *sigh* cough *sigh*
Mira Buoy, Mira Buoy (Is that right?) *sigh* – Hey Big C –
Don’t forget that Star Trek: The Exhibition and Star Trek Live are at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex. Definitely worth a blog or two!
Can’t wait to read your tweets, I bet they are as witty and well-written as this article.
Matt Mira! You wrote a blog! Nice work, hope you keep this up.
Awesome Matt… hope you have an awesome time, you Awestronaut you!
GO MATT GO!!!!!!
Glad to see you bloggin’, sir.
Hopefully one day very soon, you can sustain yourself w/0 the help of
the DREADED fruit stand.
MOAR POSTS!!!!
Have a blast, and keep up the excellent work.
MATTSTRONAUT!
Yay Matt! I shall be reading these as they come, have fun.
Sooooo envious of your ability to be there. The first post was fantastic and I can’t wait to read more of them. Help us all witness history vicariously through your personal space-tinted goggles!
You are a lucky guy Matt. I hope you get some great pictures and some great stories from your time in Florida.
And to think you hadn’t blogged til now…keep up the writing, Matt. Can’t wait to read more of your space adventure (via the ground) account!
Fellow Fatstronaut, let’s hope that between the two of us arriving Florida doesn’t simply sink. I’m thinking of flying down tomorrow from Connecticut even though the odds are looking wobbly and the crowds are getting laaaaarger. Hmm, wonder if there are any other attractions in Florida? Nah.
Great writing, Mira Booey! I’m sure Big C is super proud of you!
Great blog post, Matt! Your enthusiasm for this shines through in your writing. I can’t wait to read more about your adventure! #TeamMatt
Guess who else is going to the launch?
Ryan North of http://www.qwantz.com/
and
Joey Comeau of http://www.asofterworld.com/
You should hit them up for a podcast! Or at least say hi, because they are awesome.
Congrats, Matt, and great first step! Can’t wait to read more. #teammatt #mirabooie
YAY MATT!
Also, what are your thoughts on space elevators?
Nice post, Matt. Your enthusiasm is bleeding through my screen. I look forward to reading the rest of your thoughts on both your journey to FL and our collective journey through the Space Age.
And since nobody else here has said it yet… Mira booey!
Rock on!
Nice work Matt!! Keep up the great writing!
I see a bright future for Mira Booey! (the good thing about that nickname is it’s hard to spell, which might cut down on usage)
I can’t wait to follow your Tweetup adventures. I’m an alum of the Atlantis STS-132 Tweetup, and it was one of the most amazing events of my life!
You’re lucky to be going to see Atlantis. She has a perfect on-time no delay launch record for her Tweetups. She’s no diva like Discovery & Endeavour. 😉
~Sharon
and if you love seafood………
http://dixiecrossroads.com/
Keep it up Matt! You’ve got an engaging writing style.
Nice job Matt.
Welcome to the site, Mr. Mira. I’m glad to see a new blogger on the site, and one that has such an interesting viewpoint. Where else have you written before? I’d enjoy hearing more of your viewpoints, especially since it seems like you must have been blogging for many years. Thanks!
Essentially, the predominate belief is that the private sector will take the ball on this, Matt, and that it is a waste of money to engage in public projects like this one. I would blame it on the current political climate, but as you point out, it hasn’t just been since the recession that started in ’07-08 that this has been going on.
There is definitely a cultural shift in the United States toward almost virulent anti-communal efforts toward anything unless the collective effort can somehow generate a profit.
So unless there are, say, minerals that cannot be found on Earth in the Jupiter asteroid belt that can be used for something, it will be another nation, not the United States that will take us to the star.
I must say that although it is brief this post is well written and quite enjoyable to read. I eagerly await more posts sir. Keep it up!
I’ll be watching from the roof of my house! and shedding a tear for the future…we’ll have to wait just a bit longer until we’re discovered by Vulcans using a Warp drive. I’ll see if I can spot you in the crowd, Matt.
yay, you’re finally posting on nerdist, matt! great article, and i’m looking forward to the rest of your entries about the final shuttle launch!
Great post, Matt!! Glad you’re getting to do this. Very historic and cool.
btw, um.. I’m pretty sure that rift in Cardiff is *totally* real. Just saying.
You better share as much as you can Mira!
So all of us ‘regular’ folk can also feel like a tiny part of this historic moment.
An I am still looking forward to the day I can buy my own X-Wing Starfighter and go explore the galaxy in search of wise old Jedi masters and timelords.