Gabriell Giffords back in Florida for new launch

This is one of thoes rare stories, man.......

Pray the launch is safe and successful and his beautiful,brave and brilliant wife has a complete recovery.

Space shuttle Endeavour launches for final time
The space shuttle Endeavour has blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre on its final flight
Endeavour roared off the launch pad on time at 8:56 a.m. EDT (1256 GMT), carrying a six-member crew.

NASA plans just one more shuttle mission this summer with sister ship Atlantis before ending the 30-year-old shuttle program.

The historic final launch was watched by Gabrielle Giffords, the US congresswoman who was shot in the head by a gunman in Arizona in January. Rep Giffords is the wife of Mark Kelly, one of the Endeavour's crewmembers.

"Gabrielle is excited for tomorrow's launch. Do you plan to see history in the making?" one of her staff tweeted. Later, they added: "Gabrielle & Mark said goodbye during visit before launch. Beach House made for picturesque setting."

Rep Giffords, travelling on a Nasa jet with the family of pilot Gregory Johnson, arrived shortly after the protective structure that surrounds Endeavour was moved out of the way - a milestone in launch preparations that allows fuelling to begin.

http://www.source.ly/10FcY

sooooooooooo, we dont get to know, how many "visits",...a post gets,....anymore ???

p.s. Is this just MY browser?

This is a very nice story and much needed good news. I'm just confused about the pics....is that Gabby on them or not, llip?

So many wonderful things going on here. Happy to see them all.

High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— John Gillespie Magee, Jr

amen

A FINE, FINE, Endeavor .
p.s.

. . . .and we take this bone,.....hurled by a monkey,.....HIGH into the sky,.....for GRANTED now ,....old hat. Hell,.....we even CATCH the thing when it comes down,.....like GODS own Frisbee,.......

yepper - - -
[ this most excellent Canopy the Ayre,
look you, this braue ore-hanging, this Maiesticall Roofe,
fretted with golden fire: why, it appeares no other thing
to mee, then a foule and pestilent congregation of vapours.
What a piece of work is a man! How noble in
Reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving
how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel!
in apprehension how like a god! ]

Just like that. JUST like that .

Sometimes,....you just sort of want to shake mankind's hand.

p.p.s -NOT added to "Entertainment".

Thanks for this post. "featured" at "Space",...and "Culture". I wish I had seen this live; end of an era. VERY +^d .

Wonderful she were able to see her husband off on a beautiful day. Wish your husband and his crew a safe trip to wrap up the career of Endeavour. God speed.

You can tell he's looking right at her, in the photo the above.

Wonderful this is a big moment for all of us. I am so happy that she can attend her husband's launch. This is just great news.