End of an Era for Atlantis (Forget it Scooter-the answer is NO)

This morning I watched the space shuttle Atlantis make it's final touchdown at 7:48 am CST (or 0748 military time ;)  I had to swallow a lump in my throat as I watched this magnificent machine that has gone on 32 missions and traveled 120 million miles over the past 25 years. 120  MILLION  miles! It was a perfect touchdown.  There are only 2 more shuttle missions scheduled .  The Discovery and the Endeavor will make their final flights in September and November.
I love all things that fly and the space program is incredible.  I was fortuate enough to be alive and watch transmissions when man first walked on the moon.  Fortunate enough to be living in the Orlando area and see liftoffs in the early days in person.  It takes your breath away watching, hearing,feeling the experience.  It hit all your senses  at once and made your heart swell with pride, excitement and pure wonder. PURE WONDER. To think MAN, and proudly, American man did that, is beyond words.  Man I wish I could have been an astronaut.

"On its path to Kennedy Space Center, Atlantis crossed the Florida Everglades and headed north, passing over Lake Okeechobee where it triggered dual sonic booms (I LOVE them) as it slowed to subsonic speeds. Commander Ken Ham aligned Atlantis with Kennedy's southeast to northwest runway 33, where the ship touched down.

Aboard Atlantis with Ham were five astronauts -- pilot Dominic "Tony" Antonelli and mission specialists Garrett Reisman, Piers Sellers, Stephen Bowen and Michael Good. " 

Atlantis, you did us proud.  You are a grand flying machine that would have boggled the minds of the Wright brothers.  You boggled mine too.  It saddens me that our space program is being shut down.  I know we have to tighten our collective belts.  I just wish we had gathered up the pork in Washington DC and given it to the space program. WE, the collective we of the USA, have been AMAZING.  Congratulations to NASA, to the Astronauts, to mission control.

Those that love flight and the miracle of it will understand my feelings.  (And NO Scooter, you can't "goeses tu gitses it sins thay duz noteses wanna userest it eneemor." ) Take off your flight glasses and come eat breakfast.  GEEEZ

Well Done Atlantis.
  http://www.nasa.gov/