There were disappointments across the country, but Houston, home to NASA Mission Control, may have the worst case of the "no space shuttle" blues.
鈥�Houston is probably the most disappointed,鈥� says Pearlman. 鈥淭ied with Kennedy [Space Center in Florida], they have the strongest historical connection to the space shuttle program.鈥�
In consolation, Bolden said, many institutions that didn鈥檛 land a shuttle will get shuttle hardware. That doesn't necessarily ease the sting in Houston.
"This is certainly disappointing, but not entirely unexpected as the Administration has been hinting that Houston would not be a winner in this political competition,鈥� Houston Mayor Annise Parker said in a statement. 鈥淭here was no other city with our history of human space flight or more deserving of a retiring orbiter.鈥�
