I think that it's happened? I have an unwelcome and hopefully unjustified expectation of explosions and disappointment. :/

Oops, I was way off - the launch is now: http://www.spacex.com/webcast/

Can someone explain to me why the space shuttle program has been discontinued?

I haven't done any research but is there something better (and probably secret) to replace the program or are they just giving up on space?

Can someone explain to me why the space shuttle program has been discontinued?

Because the entire public space program that we see is just a charade by the government who have advanced alien technology kept in secret bases on the dark side of the moon.

It's more the American bloodlust for killing and torturing brown people that keeps money from NASA then.

why look for habitual land in out of space when there if perfectly good habitual land on earth. so lets just take that land.

Also habitable.

why look for habitual land in out of space when there if perfectly good habitual land on earth. so lets just take that land.

unfortunately a lot of that land already has people living on it and for some reason they don't like other people just turning up to take it

There's also a lot of sweet stuff in space. A lot. This whole planet is just one tiny infinitesimal speck of the materials of this planetary system. Then there's like a jillion others.

^^^ wow. Total Perspective Vortex. Those things are awesome.

trog: remember to click things to find out info about them.

why look for habitual land in out of space when there if perfectly good habitual land on earth. so lets just take that land.

We have a range of materials on earth which are known. We use many of them. Even the unlimited ones are finite in quantity and their applications.

The universe has potentially many new things that could be better, or just change the way we do things from purely a meterial standpoint. Metals are common right now but what other materials might exist that could completely replace them?

These are things of why we should explore space, and know if it's worth moving away from this home planet.

Plus lets say you're right: wouldn't it be better if the science is behind you and we say "There's no chance of moving off this planet ever because the closest planet which could sustain us doesn't exist" then i think we could make a judement based on information rather than one based on well it costs too much to move off. It only costs too much if it doesn't give some kind of net reward. But you can't know that until you explore what else is out there.

It be launched.