Enterprise Takes Off from Dulles Airport Today

Space Shuttle Enterprise Lifts Off Once More at Dulles IAD

This morning I went to Dulles Airport to watch the Enterprise take off for it's journey to NY.  When we arrived many people were already there including the press.  We took a chance and picked Garage 2 and we got lucky.  IAD decided to take off using runway 30 which was visible only from Garage 2.  20 some years ago I watched Enterprise come to the DC area and was able to see it up close at the Air and Space Museum Annex, now the Udvar-Hazy Center.  I bid it farewell and gave it a wave as it headed off to NY for display at Intrepid.

I spoke with a number of people and the predominant topic was why NASA ended the shuttle program without a replacement ready to go?  While we all feel a great sense of pride to see these orbiters paraded before us, it is with mixed feelings knowing there is nothing to replace them.  Our hopes ride on the prospects of commercial enterprises picking up the pieces to provide the services and the pride these orbiters gave us...yet we know in the back of our minds that nothing this great can be created "for a profit".  The future of space travel will not be written alongside large investment checks.  It will be because we resolve to do it for the sake of science, education, and humanity.