'God Bless America': Atlantis prepares to return home

The cargo bay doors on space shuttle Atlantis have been closed ahead of a planned return to Kennedy Space Center this morning. The wake-up call for the emotional last day of the space shuttle programme was God Bless America, interpreted by Kate Smith and dedicated to all those who'd contributed over the last 30 years. …

[Destroy All Monsters]

"God Bless America"

Then a Reaper Drone collides with it on the way down.

[lglethal]

"Thank you to America for supporting this programme"

That statement made me laugh quite hard!

If America was supporting the program, NASA astronauts wouldnt be making their trips to the ISS in Soyuz capusles for the foreseeable future...

[Sir Lancelot]

Oh my Gawd!

I would have preferred the Jimi Hendrix interpretation of "The Star-Spangled Banner"...

[Captain DaFt]

Warning: politicaly incorrect message follows

Meaning no disrespect to the legendary talents of Kate Smith, but:

NASA took "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." waay too literally!

[Tom 13]

At least the got the

right version for the song.

[Beachrider]

So I guess that Kasey Kasem was not available...

Maybe the music choice was unusually conservative. Perhaps it was appropriate for the Sunset of this Space Program of the 1970s...

[Anonymous Coward]

Eh?

Not the American national anthem but some hideously religious drivel?