'It was a lot harder to watch me launch than it was to actually sit in the rocket,' said astronautВ Mike Good, a retired U.S. But perhaps no one felt the relief more keenly than the astronautsвЂ™ children, who gathered at KSC to watch their parents go on the adventure of a lifetime, not knowing whether they would come home again. People around the world breathedВ a collective sigh of relief when Discovery launched safely almost three years after the 1986 Challenger explosion. More: 'Bringing Columbia Home': Launch director's book tells space shuttle's final story More: Dream Chaser mini-shuttle gets official launch window from NASA

More: First shuttle launch from KSC done by TODAY newspaper in 1978 And drawing helped them share difficult emotions. The whiteboards helped the kids feel connected to the launch, he said. ItвЂ™s powerful,' saidВ Michael Ciannilli, manager of NASAвЂ™s Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned Program. вЂњIt became a way to focus the childrenвЂ™s energy, to express all that emotion that theyвЂ™re feeling. NASA has not exhibited the boards publiclyВ out of respect for the privacy of the families who created them, but did agree to give FLORIDA TODAY a look.

To these artists and writers,В the astronauts were not just national heroes, but Mom and Dad. Today, almost 100В colorfully decorated whiteboards line the office hallways at Kennedy Space Center, tangible reminders of the real peopleВ behind the dream of reaching for the stars. Provided with whiteboards and colorful markers, the astronauts' families were encouraged to express their feelings вЂ“В anxiety, pride, fear, excitement вЂ“ through art. When space shuttles returned to flight in 1988 after the Challenger explosion, a new tradition was born. And someВ messages appearВ again and again: Good luck and Godspeed! Stars and moons smile over astronauts and space dogs. Rainbows and rockets illustrate the heartfeltВ messages written by little hands.

And now IвЂ™m in a bad mood thanks manchin! Can we just get rid of West Virginia and everyone living there? FFS, Manchin makes me actually hate that state and everyone who lives there.You reached the next level of awesomeness!! And IвЂ™m just so tired of the excuses that we all know are not the real reason these people do what they do. IвЂ™m so sick and tiered of this old mans BS. The hell was that!?! And he claims itвЂ™s going to far, but doesnвЂ™t point out how itвЂ™s going to far. Edit: just finished the article and itвЂ™s a train wreak as you expect, let me quote you somthing he said вЂњ вЂњItвЂ™s just disappointing that weвЂ™re going to be voting on a piece of legislation which I would not vote for today,вЂќ Manchin told reporters. Just like with deep-red states, for his voice to be drowned out, we need to vote in more (progressive) Democrats in other states. Of course he will as will all of the bozos in office, it is not about what the people want it is about what they want to do to the people! Reminder: Joe Manchin is the only type of Democrat youвЂ™ll get out of West Virginia. If you donвЂ™t join us in opposing them you are complicit. There isnвЂ™t a shred of morality in the Republican Party. On the Protect the wildlife save the rainforest environmental shirtВ in other words I will buy this other hand we have the right of an individual doctor to deliberately let a woman die on his examining table when it is within his power to save her life.

Nasa space shuttle drawing