Shuttle Endeavour's Protective Metal Structure Removed for Launch
15 May 2011, 12:32 PM EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The countdown is proceeding here at Kennedy Space Center toward launching the space shuttle Endeavour on Monday at 8:56 a.m. EDT (1256 GMT). Today at noon EDT (1600 GMT) the shuttle's metal protective scaffolding, called the Rotating Service Structure, was rolled away from Endeavour in preparation for liftoff.

Endeavour's six-man crew will spend today reviewing their mission plans, meeting with mission managers, and resting up before going to bed at 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) in preparation for their morning liftoff on Monday.

-- Clara Moskowitz (@ClaraMoskowitz)

Only two more space shuttle missions left!

Watch the launch tomorrow 4 minutes before 8.
http://www.space.com/11489-space-shuttle-endeavour-final-flight-sts134.html

I've probably heard it before and simply forgotten, but why are they closing down the shuttle program?

I've probably heard it before and simply forgotten, but why are they closing down the shuttle program?

The Space Shuttles are starting to get old and their having more and more problems like cracks and corrosion so it takes more processing to keep the shuttles going. The Columbia disaster really made them take a good hard look at the future of the Space Shuttle. Originally, the shuttle was supposed to be replace with the Ares rocket and Orion Capsule. Now it looks like NASA / Congress are going the private development route.
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I don't know what NASA will do if something big breaks on the space station. I guess their just screwed since the "U-Haul truck" is being retired. LOL

I remember the excitement of the first launch.

The Space Shuttles are starting to get old and their having more and more problems like cracks and corrosion so it takes more processing to keep the shuttles going. The Columbia disaster really made them take a good hard look at the future of the Space Shuttle. Originally, the shuttle was supposed to be replace with the Ares rocket and Orion Capsule. Now it looks like NASA / Congress are going the private development route.
"
I don't know what NASA will do if something big breaks on the space station. I guess their just screwed since the "U-Haul truck" is being retired. LOL

I guess there is always Russia to save the day...since they will now have the only vehicle capable of getting to the space station. It is amazing, and depressing, how we pushed ahead to advance and now we've gone back to not being able to send a man in space (ourselves).

Endeavour construction gallery. Never seen these before. The crew module almost looks like a capsule sitting vertical like that.

http://www.space.com/11497-photos-space-shuttle-endeavour-nasa-construction.html

I stumbled across these clicking news links this morning. Kinda nice shots of shuttle from an airplane window
http://www.space.com/11689-shuttle-launch-photos-airplane-window.html