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Discovery and the Full Circle.
Author: Raine    Date: 04/16/2012 13:10:24

http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/120415-space-shuttle-730p.grid-10x2.jpg


There she is, preparing for her final trip to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. From the Washington Post:
Riding atop a Boeing 747, the preferred taxi of all space shuttles, it should be a pretty amazing sight sometime between 10 and 11 a.m. and we want to see your views of Discovery’s final voyage.

NASA says they hope to fly Discovery at about 1,500 feet over the Mall, Reagan National Airport and National Harbor. It may also be seen from the Old Town Alexandria waterfront; Long Bridge Park, located between I-395 and the railroad tracks near Crystal City and Gravelly Point; and off the George Washington Parkway, near National Airport.
I have never had the opportunity to see a shuttle launch, but I am so grateful to have this chance to see the final voyage of the space shuttle. I have a certain personal pride as my grandfather worked and retired with a company then called Grumman. They were involved with the program, and as thus, my grandfather was as well.
Grumman was the chief contractor on the Apollo Lunar Module that landed men on the moon. They received the contract on 7 November 1962, and built 13 lunar modules. As the Apollo program neared its end, Grumman was one of the main competitors for the contract to design and build the Space Shuttle, but lost to Rockwell International. The company ended up involved in the shuttle program nonetheless, as a subcontractor to Rockwell, providing the wings and vertical stabilizer sections.
I remember him telling me that he was working on a project that would allow spaceships that were reuseable. This was in the late 70's or early 80's, and I was too young to grasp what he was saying. It was after his retirement -- and sadly after he passed -- that I would really understand that he was - in his own way - a true part of history. My grandfather-- a German Immigrant -- worked on this project.

Tomorrow we will have a chance to see the last glorious trip of Discovery. I'll be thinking of my Opa. He was there for it's infancy, and I will be there for it's final journey. There is something really amazing about that.

and
Raine
 

36 comments (Latest Comment: 04/16/2012 23:12:56 by Will in Chicago)
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Comments:

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Comment by wickedpam on 04/16/2012 13:25:07
Morning

Are you going into Old Town to see it? I'm hoping to get a look from the office but I don't think the building faces the correct way

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 13:27:53
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

Are you going into Old Town to see it? I'm hoping to get a look from the office but I don't think the building faces the correct way
I'm thinking we might try Old Town or Gravelly point.


Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 13:28:26
Can you take a few hours from work, Mala?

Comment by wickedpam on 04/16/2012 13:31:10
Quote by Raine:
Can you take a few hours from work, Mala?



I wish but no.

Comment by wickedpam on 04/16/2012 13:32:05
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

Are you going into Old Town to see it? I'm hoping to get a look from the office but I don't think the building faces the correct way
I'm thinking we might try Old Town or Gravelly point.



Gravelly Point would probably be a great place since its so cool to watch the planes from there

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/16/2012 13:35:43
Raine,

I'll be thinking about your Opa today too. That was a great bit o' Koch family lore. Thanks for sharing. :sniffle:

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 13:36:49
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine,

I'll be thinking about your Opa today too. That was a great bit o' Koch family lore. Thanks for sharing. :sniffle:
Aww shucks...

That's really nice, Mondo.


Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 13:37:24
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

Are you going into Old Town to see it? I'm hoping to get a look from the office but I don't think the building faces the correct way
I'm thinking we might try Old Town or Gravelly point.



Gravelly Point would probably be a great place since its so cool to watch the planes from there
I love that place. Especially when the planes Land over the park.


Comment by trojanrabbit on 04/16/2012 13:50:30
Good morning

Today is Marathon Monday here in the People's Republic, also known as the Kenyan Invitational.

Because temperatures are expected to be approaching 90 by the end of the course, the Boston Athletic Association (who runs the Marathon) suggested that anyone who has not run the Marathon before to not do so today, if they qualified for this year the invitation will be extended to next year. The women's group started about 20 minutes ago and already they are holding far off last year's record pace.

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 13:56:02
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Good morning

Today is Marathon Monday here in the People's Republic, also known as the Kenyan Invitational.

Because temperatures are expected to be approaching 90 by the end of the course, the Boston Athletic Association (who runs the Marathon) suggested that anyone who has not run the Marathon before to not do so today, if they qualified for this year the invitation will be extended to next year. The women's group started about 20 minutes ago and already they are holding far off last year's record pace.
Wow, that is incredible for this time of year!


Comment by Mondobubba on 04/16/2012 14:15:21
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine,

I'll be thinking about your Opa today too. That was a great bit o' Koch family lore. Thanks for sharing. :sniffle:
Aww shucks...

That's really nice, Mondo.



Hey Opa worked on something that went into space. Which is so amazingly cool in my book.

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/16/2012 14:16:58
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Good morning

Today is Marathon Monday here in the People's Republic, also known as the Kenyan Invitational.

Because temperatures are expected to be approaching 90 by the end of the course, the Boston Athletic Association (who runs the Marathon) suggested that anyone who has not run the Marathon before to not do so today, if they qualified for this year the invitation will be extended to next year. The women's group started about 20 minutes ago and already they are holding far off last year's record pace.



Warmer there for the high temp than here.

Comment by Scoopster on 04/16/2012 14:26:44
Mornin' all & Happy Mondee..

Yeppers, gonna be a hot day up this way. It's really awesome out right now tho so I have all the windows in the office open. Usually I'm impervious to pollen allergies, but this year I've had to start taking an antihistamine to cope with dry/sticky eyes.

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 15:12:21
Oh haaaAAy.... Got some HUGE awesome great news this weekend...

My sister is engaged!!! She is marrying her HS Sweetheart!!!!



Comment by wickedpam on 04/16/2012 15:13:30
Quote by Raine:
Oh haaaAAy.... Got some HUGE awesome great news this weekend...

My sister is engaged!!! She is marrying her HS Sweetheart!!!!





aawwwwww!

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 15:39:49
Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 15:44:43
What the he11?

http://www.thegrio.com/brian-beckman.jpg

The entry was posted on the personal Facebook page of Miami-Dade fire captain Brian Beckmann. The Facebook page bears the same profile picture as the entry, which appears to have been deleted, but which was captured in a screengrab sent to theGrio.

The page's profile entry lists Metro-Dade Firefighters Local 1403.

The entry appears to have been created on Wednesday, the night State Attorney Angela Corey announced she would file second degree murder charges against George Zimmerman over Martin's shooting death.


Comment by wickedpam on 04/16/2012 15:44:57
Quote by Raine:
Discovery flight map.



hmmm - according to that there's a possiblity

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 15:59:43
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Discovery flight map.



hmmm - according to that there's a possiblity
I think there might be, Mala!


Comment by wickedpam on 04/16/2012 16:01:20
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Discovery flight map.



hmmm - according to that there's a possiblity
I think there might be, Mala!



I'll just have to keep an eye out the window from 10-11

Comment by livingonli on 04/16/2012 16:11:00
Good day, folks! It's already 72 here. I almost feel like putting the shorts on, but it seems kind of early for that.

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 16:39:12
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Discovery flight map.



hmmm - according to that there's a possiblity
I think there might be, Mala!



I'll just have to keep an eye out the window from 10-11
I'm gonna see if I can find a flight tracker for this.



Comment by Mondobubba on 04/16/2012 16:47:57
Quote by Raine:
Oh haaaAAy.... Got some HUGE awesome great news this weekend...

My sister is engaged!!! She is marrying her HS Sweetheart!!!!




LIKE!

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 17:17:58
So, you NEED to watch this...




Comment by wickedpam on 04/16/2012 17:46:33
Quote by Raine:
So, you NEED to watch this...





Hey! It was in French! <- *in southern county drawl*

Comment by Will in Chicago on 04/16/2012 20:31:03
Hello, bloggers!! I hope that everyone is doing well.

Raine, thanks for today's blog and sharing about your Opa. I hope that one day our space program will be a bit bolder and more innovative as we seem stuck to just Earth orbit for any manned flight. Perhaps it will take an international approach to get humans back to the Moon and farther out in space.

Also, congratulations on your sister's good news.

As for myself, I am subbing a lot and job hunting. I am waiting for my Massachusetts license (I am amazed at the weather in Boston today, but it has been a weird winter and spring) and hope to hear soon from some of the places where I have put in applications.

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 20:52:33
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Hello, bloggers!! I hope that everyone is doing well.

Raine, thanks for today's blog and sharing about your Opa. I hope that one day our space program will be a bit bolder and more innovative as we seem stuck to just Earth orbit for any manned flight. Perhaps it will take an international approach to get humans back to the Moon and farther out in space.

Also, congratulations on your sister's good news.

As for myself, I am subbing a lot and job hunting. I am waiting for my Massachusetts license (I am amazed at the weather in Boston today, but it has been a weird winter and spring) and hope to hear soon from some of the places where I have put in applications.



Comment by Will in Chicago on 04/16/2012 20:55:35
In something ironic from Friday, I had a session with a career counselor at a local university to help prepare me for interviews. While I got some useful advice, I let the counselor know that one of the largest school districts in NW Indiana cut 40 teachers and what I learned about how to find work in Massachusetts. I also let the counselor know that the DC and Baltimore areas are said to need teachers. So, I may have done some good for some of my fellow educators.

Comment by BobR on 04/16/2012 21:18:23
Comment by BobR on 04/16/2012 21:19:41
Quote by Will in Chicago:
In something ironic from Friday, I had a session with a career counselor at a local university to help prepare me for interviews. While I got some useful advice, I let the counselor know that one of the largest school districts in NW Indiana cut 40 teachers and what I learned about how to find work in Massachusetts. I also let the counselor know that the DC and Baltimore areas are said to need teachers. So, I may have done some good for some of my fellow educators.

C'mon down and be part of the "inside the beltway" mindset

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 21:25:50
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Will in Chicago:
In something ironic from Friday, I had a session with a career counselor at a local university to help prepare me for interviews. While I got some useful advice, I let the counselor know that one of the largest school districts in NW Indiana cut 40 teachers and what I learned about how to find work in Massachusetts. I also let the counselor know that the DC and Baltimore areas are said to need teachers. So, I may have done some good for some of my fellow educators.

C'mon down and be part of the "inside the beltway" mindset
I'd love for that to happen!




Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 21:28:55
Quote by BobR:
Penguin bites Gingrich
Penguins against the NRA!


Comment by Will in Chicago on 04/16/2012 21:39:22
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Will in Chicago:
In something ironic from Friday, I had a session with a career counselor at a local university to help prepare me for interviews. While I got some useful advice, I let the counselor know that one of the largest school districts in NW Indiana cut 40 teachers and what I learned about how to find work in Massachusetts. I also let the counselor know that the DC and Baltimore areas are said to need teachers. So, I may have done some good for some of my fellow educators.

C'mon down and be part of the "inside the beltway" mindset



I will research what is needed to teach in Maryland and Virginia, but finances may limit me from taking any more major teaching tests. Still, I will check. (It beats an aunt's suggestion to try the schools around here in Clarksville, Tennessee.)

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 21:41:24
I've watched the video, The one I saw had no mention of the penguins. That said, the video I did watch (and I read it elsewhere ) talked about Gingrich selling off his donor (maybe they meant the Donner party list...) like to make some money.

I think that Gingrich selling his donor list is absolutely disgusting.

If we can't get election reform in this country -- can't we at least have a law that prevents politicians from selling off private citizens names to raise money?

Here's the thing. I consider myself a Democrat (quelle shoque!!) but if I decide to donate to a local republican, which is probably gonna happen AFTER pigs fly on the Gingrich moon colony.. shouldn't I be allowed to know that my money went to ONE person and my name address etc isn't being sold to someone else?

This seems like a simple thing to have passed. people who donate to a politician should be able to maintain that they supported THAT politician -- they should not have their name on a list that can be sold to some entity or cause that they may not support.

Comment by Raine on 04/16/2012 21:42:19
Quote by Will in Chicago:


I will research what is needed to teach in Maryland and Virginia, but finances may limit me from taking any more major teaching tests. Still, I will check. (It beats an aunt's suggestion to try the schools around here in Clarksville, Tennessee.)


That last train's a biatch...

( I could not resist...)


Comment by Will in Chicago on 04/16/2012 23:12:56
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Will in Chicago:


I will research what is needed to teach in Maryland and Virginia, but finances may limit me from taking any more major teaching tests. Still, I will check. (It beats an aunt's suggestion to try the schools around here in Clarksville, Tennessee.)


That last train's a biatch...

( I could not resist...)



I love my aunt, but her efforts to convert the rest of my family to Christianity are not welcome.

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