On Friday, July 8th, 2011 I watched our Nation’s very last Space Shuttle launch from the Kennedy Space Center. This was my sixth Space Shuttle launch, which places me in the incredibly lucky category!

It was very bitter sweet to watch the last Space Shuttle flight. I am very sad to see our Nation has lost focus and interest in our space program. It was sad to know that with this launch, thousands of workers will be laid off.

I am very proud of what the Shuttle Program accomplished over the past 30 years.

I hope you will take a moment and watch this video which pays tribute to the most complex feat of engineering in the modern era. The film really helps convey the human side of the whole program.

Below are all the mission patches from the launches I’ve seen.

Mission Patch: STS-121, July 4th 2006

Mission Patch: STS-129, November 16, 2009

Mission Patch: STS-130, February 8, 2010

Mission Patch: STS-133, February 24, 2011

Mission Patch: STS-134, May 16, 2011

Mission Patch: STS-135, July 8, 2011