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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

OT - American Space Shuttle

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Howard H.

08-08-2007 20:06:42




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Visiting for my first time in Florida the last two weeks, I took the kids over to Cape Canaveral to watch the Space Shuttle liftoff this evening.

Every square foot of viewing area along the shore was packed for hours before the launch, and we were sandwiched in with two families from Great Britain and one German speaking family.

One British family had planned their trip for almost a year to see the shuttle liftoff. The other British family has been trying for over a year to emigrate to the USA for a better way of life (he owns a construction business). He said it was just so much more "small business friendly" here in the USA and would give them a "better life" (his words).

My point is that between being surrounded by foreigners who had crossed the Atlantic to come to America to see one of our crowning achievements and then seeing such an AWE-INSPIRING and MAJESTIC sight as the shuttle, it was a terribly moving experience.

I've always been very patriotic, but never more so than tonight. The United States of America is the greatest nation the world has ever seen and I'm very thankful to be part of it!

Howard H.

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buickanddeere

08-09-2007 09:15:26




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
Only a few more flights for those poor old 1970's crates. Too bad the contractors are into making the most money instead of making the best orbital delivery system. I can't believe how may tragedies wasting life and resources it took. Until they would do a proper design change on the fuel tanks. Instead of patches that didn't work. And the economy patch job ended costing more than a proper fix if don ein the 1st place. No wonder Sally Ride told Nasa to stick it. So did some Canadian astronauts.

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georgeky

08-09-2007 08:40:37




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
Great picture. Just seems to me like a great waste of my hard earned tax money. I can't see or understand what business we have now or will ever have messing around where we can not live.



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NEsota

08-09-2007 06:59:54




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
Spectacular! Try to bring to mind five people to whom your would give the most credit for our space achievements.



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ebbsspeed

08-09-2007 06:50:39




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
I was at a launch way back in 83, and I think you could actually get a little closer then, not sure. I still get goosebumps when I think of the low rumble and shockwave you feel when that monster blasts towards the heavens. Thanks for the pic and words.



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onefarmer

08-09-2007 05:05:22




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
Thanks for the picture. I now have new wallpaper on my computer. Even a pic of a shuttle launch is almost as good a watching fireworks live. Almost



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John M

08-09-2007 03:17:09




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
I am glad I have that NASA channel. It lets me watch it go up and when it gets into space for a few minutes. I often refer to the shuttles as the Farmall 5M, since the same gentleman designed the letter series and the space shuttle.Thanks for that wonderful pic!



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in-too-deep

08-09-2007 07:35:57




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to John M, 08-09-2007 03:17:09  
I might be confused. You said the designer of letter-series Farmalls worked for NASA and designed space shuttles? Cool!! What was the guy's name?



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georgeky

08-09-2007 08:36:09




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to in-too-deep, 08-09-2007 07:35:57  
Don't know about the shuttle, but Raymond Loewy is the name of the guy who designed the letter seriea Farmall tractors.



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Eric SEI

08-10-2007 13:20:08




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to georgeky, 08-09-2007 08:36:09  
I believe he also designed some Studebakers.



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John M

08-09-2007 14:06:37




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to georgeky, 08-09-2007 08:36:09  
Yep! He didnt work for NASA though, and Im not 100% sure he accually desined it, probably someone who worked for him.Let me find the info again.



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John M

08-09-2007 14:18:28




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to John M, 08-09-2007 14:06:37  
Well, I cant find the exact article Im looking for, but just do a google search for Raymond Lowey and be ready for some surpises.



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georgeky

08-09-2007 14:23:49




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to John M, 08-09-2007 14:18:28  
I haven't looked yet, but he was a famous well known designer long before he designed the Farmalls.



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John M

08-09-2007 17:20:54




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to georgeky, 08-09-2007 14:23:49  
Yep, he sure was! I looked again and still cant find that link. It wasnt a link hsowing the connection between RL and IH and NASA, but knowing he designed the letter series, and then finding out he, or his firm, designed the earley shuttles, man it blew me away and I have been a fan of the space program since.



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georgeky

08-09-2007 22:47:11




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to John M, 08-09-2007 17:20:54  
I think he designed the VW Beetle as well. I am not to crazy about the space program myself, just seems like a lot of money being spent with very little return on it. Satelites can be put up with a rocket. I watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon way back when on a B&W TV.



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Jim/IN

08-09-2007 01:08:28




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
Now, that's just too cool for words. How far away were you when you took the picture? I parked in the lot of a McDonald's in Cocoa Beach a few years ago, I think it was '98, and saw a shuttle sitting on the pad. I really couldn't see any detail, even with binoculars. If you're still in the area, check out the NASA museum at the visitor center. It'll keep a space nut like me happy for the better part of an afternoon.

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Howard H.

08-09-2007 06:31:00




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Jim/IN, 08-09-2007 01:08:28  

Hey Jim - we were about 13 miles away, I think - it was the closest public viewing without a pass. The shores of Titusville just west across a river. There was probably 5-8 miles of shoreline packed with people where we were at.

Onefarmer, here is a link for some NASA pics - way better than mine:

Link


One other thing the Brits were complaining about was how their country was being totally overrun with immigrants from other poorer countries. The construction business owner said that was one other main reason he wanted to come to America... I thought that was really ironic considering our immigration controversy - same controversy - just different countries...

Howard

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rodgernbama

08-08-2007 22:27:46




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to Howard H., 08-08-2007 20:06:42  
Great picture and comments.



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Bill-KCKs

08-09-2007 11:42:35




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 Re: OT - American Space Shuttle in reply to rodgernbama, 08-08-2007 22:27:46  
Ancient history, but in 1973 we had a pass for the VIP viewing area from one of our Senators. The launch was a Saturn 1B for the second Skylab mission. The only people closer to the launch was the disaster crew. It was spectacular. I wish I'd had the opportunity to have seen a Saturn V launch.

It's hard to believe that after landing on the Moon we squandered it all. We canceled the last 3 Moon landings, put the hardware in museums or used it for Skylab or Apollo-Soyuz.

Hope we go back in my lifetime.

While it may appear to be a waste of money, trust me, Space Tech has more than paid for itself in our daily lives.

Go to the library and find books by Christopher Kraft and Gene Kranz. Fascinating.

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