John Glenn plans to mark the 50th anniversary of his historic spaceflight with a series of events at Ohio State University, including a special dinner and a live chat with crew members aboard the International Space Station. The former astronaut and senator from Ohio became the first American to orbit Earth on Feb. 20, 1962. The trip helped the United States catch up to the Soviet Union's accomplishments in space, and Glenn says he thinks it was a turning point for America's national psyche. The 90-year-old is now the namesake of a public affairs school at Ohio State/Associated Press. (AP/NASA file photo: In this Feb. 20, 1962 file photo, astronaut John Glenn climbs into the Friendship 7 space capsule atop an Atlas rocket at Cape Canaveral, Fla.)

Question: Do you remember what you were doing when you heard an American had orbited the Earth?

NASA’s final four shuttle astronauts boarded Atlantis for liftoff today on the last flight of the 30-year program, even as potential rainstorms threatened to delay the launch. Forecasters stuck to their original 70 percent chance of bad weather, as the veteran crew climbed aboard the spacecraft. NASA was hopeful. “We do have a shot at this today,” launch director Mike Leinbach assured his team. Commander Christopher Ferguson gave a thumbs up as he was strapped in after sunrise despite the still-iffy launch prospects. On his way to the spacecraft, Ferguson had jokingly beckoned for more applause, clapping his hands at one point. The astronauts posed for pictures before boarding/Associated Press. More here. (AP photo: The space shuttle Atlantis astronauts leave the operations and check out building on their way to the pad at the Kennedy Space Center this morning.)

Question: Do you agree with the decision to end the shuttle program?

The four female astronauts currently on the International Space Station, clockwise from lower right: Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, and Naoko Yamazaki pose for a photo in the Cupola while space shuttle Discovery remains docked with the station Wednesday.  (AP Photo/NASA)

Top Cutlines:

#1 After being over-served too many drinks from a downtown establishment, the conversation with the smart women started to make my head spin. couergenx

#2 Men are from Mars, Women are from where ever they happen to land!!!! formerlysandpoint

#3 Being unable to amicably decide who was going to sit behind who for the picture, the ladies determined they would all sit in front. CharlesDixon

Item: Online program connects Idaho students, NASA/Betsy Z. Russell, S-R

More Info: Bright, advanced Idaho high school juniors can now compete to get into a new science and math online class and summer academy offered in partnership with NASA - in part by impressing a local state legislator. Or, perhaps, just knowing one. “We would like to get state lawmakers involved in this, in endorsing students from their legislative district,” said Idaho Department of Education spokeswoman Melissa McGrath. “Legislators would be involved in the review of applications and helping to select the students … they’d have a big role in choosing which student goes.”

Question: Is this a good role for elected lawmakers?

Evidently, the economic crisis has hit NASA hard. These poor astronauts must have been awfully thirsty: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/may/21/astronauts-toast-nasa-ingenuity-sip-recycled-urine/

I’m all for recycling, but thoughts of a sweat and urine cocktail make me queasy.

Would you drink recycled urine? What’s the most unusual drink you’ve consumed?