End of the Space Shuttle era

[mons00n]

It comes down to understanding the universe we live in. Take the Hubble Space telescope as an example....it's probably one of the greatest scientific instruments mankind has ever possessed - without the shuttle program it would not exist. The shuttles are responsible for it's deployment, maintenance, and boosting it to the proper orbit every time they visit it. It also would be on the verge of death right now if it weren't for the last servicing mission performed by a shuttle crew. The space shuttle's greatest advantage is that they were so versatile in what it could do. It could carry cargo, perform servicing missions, etc etc. They were not designed for anything but low orbit missions so they would have never gone to the moon either. It is a sad day that the shuttles retire, but they were an old fleet and it needed to be done. Unfortunately we don't have a replacement yet.

I agree that we need to fund education a LOT more, BUT putting that 1/2 of every dollar towards the education system will barely make a difference in comparison. NASA serves more than one purpose: not only is it responsible for science and research, but it also serves as a huge inspiration to people everywhere who aspire to be something more.

If it weren't for NASA I wouldn't be where I am today perusing my PhD in Astrophysics, so pardon me if I came off a bit harsh in regards to NASA being 'wasteful' - it was not intended to be personal

 

[PrettyInInk87]

I'm with you on this one Zac except I just don't care... People are losing jobs anyway and the economy isn't all that great so why not? Meh, back to my life. Say what you want to say but people have opinions and if you don't want to hear them, don't post. I'm done.

 

[rockndiver]

it is a sad day for those of us who grew up watching shuttle launches on tv and being amazed that people were going into space on a regular basis. Its crazy to think that this amazing scientific and engineering accomplishment started and ended in my life time, I was 4 years old when the first launch took place.

Food for thought.... ever hear of velcro or microwave ovens?? Just 2 tiny little things that our nation's space program helped make possible. Among many others.

 

[Dupontman2]

I don't see the fascination in space, so that might be why I am arrogant about it. I don't mean to sounds harsh about them losing their jobs, i didn't look too far into it. And where the title of this thread came from, I didn't assume they were shutting down NASA completely, I thought they were done with launching space shuttles into space. Some people take things too serious I suppose. Oh well. Everything comes to an end at some point and time.

Well its not shutting completely down, but it going to be losing around 10,000 jobs, 2 being me and my wife, and not to mention all the jobs in Texas, Alabama, and Utah and various other states. This is a huge loss, and will practically shut down the entire Space Coast area. And thanks to the president for cancelling the constellation and ares programs leaving us no other alternative than to have the russians bring us to OUR space station at 63 million dollars per seat!!!! There have been many advances in different fields from experiments in space, science medical etc.. to many to list, plus the satellites we use, I would suppose you have a cell phone, which is done by satellites as well as all sorts of stuff from communications to cable tv, and monitoring foriegn countries. While I realize not all satellites are put in orbit by the shutlle, are rocket programs are decreasing as well. We no longer launch the Titan, and the Delta III only has 1 launch left, limited Atlas rocket launches and Delta 4's.

 

[Elizadolots]

NASA will continue, space will be explored.

The idea that space exploration does nothing for us completely ignores the incredible amount of scientific and medical research that has been done on every mission into space. Much has been learned about drug manufacturing from experiments in space. Much of our current computer technology arises out of the space program.

 

[VeiledChams]

I think it is the begining of the end. The space race did a couple very important things - 1, it achieved the monumental achievement of actually making it to the moon, which is just astounding if you think about it. And 2, it pushed for a much better education in science; it finally made all public schools teach things like evolution that had never been really popular school subjects. And since that was over schools across the country have put less and less emphasis on teaching science, with a particular antagonism towards evolution, which is a huge cornerstone of biology.

Even though a huge percentage of important medical and scientific research is going on here in the states, attracting some of the best and brightest from around the world, the lay population could care less about science and THAT's bad for this country. When people (including politicians) don't see the value in science and research we lose funding and we as a country miss out on valuable discoveries. And then scientific curriculums are empobrished and we miss out on generations of competent scientists.

There are a thousand and one beneficial things that have come out of going to space. So many things have been learned about technology, health, etc. that apply directly into our lives today. Anyone who isn't saddened by the end of this space program has no idea how important it has been.

Agreed!

Its such a bummer and it pisses me off also Now we will have to hitch a ride to our space station.



This is quite an ignorant statement. Ive gone into my space rant and the benefits that the moon has in another thread. I dont have time right now. Although, there has been many new technologies invented because of the space program that benefits the economy. Its not about living on the moon, maybe mining it but, its about colonizing Mars!!!! The Earth is well over due for a massive castastrophe. We might want to think about colonizing another planet sooner than one may think.

I highly doubt this is better for the US.

Definitely not better... it's just the first step down the ladder of being the worlds powerhouse.

NASA will continue, space will be explored.

The idea that space exploration does nothing for us completely ignores the incredible amount of scientific and medical research that has been done on every mission into space. Much has been learned about drug manufacturing from experiments in space. Much of our current computer technology arises out of the space program.

The computer in a basic, 4 function calculator has more computing power than the ones used on Houston's mission control when on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon after traveling about 240,000 miles on Apollo 11 using the Saturn V rocket. But no, this isnt an amazing scientific feat worth of anything other than to be forgotten.

 

[ChamBoy]

I think I'm confused, is NASA never sending a shuttle into orbit again or is it just a tempory halt ?

 

[carol5208]

Someone told me just for about the next 6-7 years. The time it will take to build a new rocket. All the other ones are getting too old. I have not researched this, so just telling you what a family member told me. Not sure if it is correct info or not. I live in FLA and have gotten to see one go off pretty close, when I was up that way, and I still get goosebumps thinking about it. It was the most spectacular sight. Did not see it go off the launchpad which would have been amazing but was still pretty close to see it in the sky. One time when the shuttle was coming back, we heard the loudest explosion you could iimagine! I live a few hours south of Kennedy Space center so this was rare for us to hear it. People were calling 911 and we found out later it was the shuttle breaking the sound barrier. Unbelievable! I have seen tons of shuttles go off from my house(yes you can see them) the night ones were beautiful!!!

 

[Olimpia]

Guys, the point is so far removed from YOU caring about space. I don't care about space any more than the average person, but not seeing the value in what the space program has acomplished beyond actually going to space is so unbeliveable to me. Here's a cute little link with some examples of technology that impact YOUR daily lives: http://techtran.msfc.nasa.gov/at_home.html

I really hate saying things that sound rude on here, but everyone who can't see that it HAS been a beneficial program to the country is a complete ignoramus on the subject. I'm sorry, but I just explained how the space race revolutionized the science education in public schools in the country, finally putting us on a level where we could send kids to colleges and have them know something about science beforehand. And we wonder why the greatest US doctors and researchers had to do so much of their education in foreign countries in the 1800's and early 1900's - because the education here was so pathetic compared to the universities in Europe that had a better system set up. It was only thanks to a few of these that universities like John Hopkins popped up and set a new standard of higher education in science and medicine. And this trickled down into the public schools, but it remained sporatic and vague until the space race, when the government made a push for a unified curriculum. And that is to what we owe so many amazing advances and discoveries in the last half century.

Ever since the end of the space race though, schools have again started to fight against teaching theories like evolution in schools, dumbing down our children. The less the government cares about science the less they're going to push for better education in that field, but then you complain about how all the doctors in your hospital are now Indian or Chinese. Because our level of science education is now way below many other countries, and it is an embarassment. But you still have the arrogance to nonchalantly dismiss valuable research while we reap the benefits of that research.

Science and math are our worst subjects as a country. And it's because Americans in general don't care about it, they don't think it's important. It's vital. And then we wonder why the rest of the world makes fun of our education/intelligence.

It's not about whether you care about space. Or the human genome project, or the reproduction of sea urchins, or the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria - the work scientists do is valuable --to scan for diseases, to cure your own reproductive maladies, to keep you healthy -- in ways that you might not see immediately. But it is, and the space program was. It was a huge catalyst for bettering the country in so many ways, big and small.

I don't know about you, but I would much rather put more of my tax money into funding research that pushes the boundaries of what techonology and humans can achieve to earn about the world and universe that we live in than be content in my ignorance and send that money to bail out companies.

I appologize again for sounding rude. But this just irked me like nothing else.

 

[CleaTheChameleon]

^ I love you Olimpia! Sarcasm btw I agree 101%
You couldn't have said that any better! Great job!

 

[Elizadolots]

Beautifully said, Olimpia.

 

[carol5208]

Ditto on Olimpia! I did not want to start a rant, I agree with you whole heartedly! Just adding in what an amazing sight it was to see lighting up the sky at night or durinhg the day. I feel priveledged to have witnessed it as many times as I have.

 

[allencg101]

There is so much to learn from space, but it seems as if learning new things isn't important to the government.

What are you talking about on december 21 2012 the aliens are coming to wipe us all out jeez hopefully i'll be one of the lucky ones they choose to space and take me on as one of their pets.

 

[VeiledChams]

hahaha, call me cause I want a ride too

 

[Cainschams]

I don't see the fascination in space, so that might be why I am arrogant about it. I don't mean to sounds harsh about them losing their jobs, i didn't look too far into it. And where the title of this thread came from, I didn't assume they were shutting down NASA completely, I thought they were done with launching space shuttles into space. Some people take things too serious I suppose. Oh well. Everything comes to an end at some point and time.

Well its not shutting completely down, but it going to be losing around 10,000 jobs, 2 being me and my wife, and not to mention all the jobs in Texas, Alabama, and Utah and various other states. This is a huge loss, and will practically shut down the entire Space Coast area. And thanks to the president for cancelling the constellation and ares programs leaving us no other alternative than to have the russians bring us to OUR space station at 63 million dollars per seat!!!! There have been many advances in different fields from experiments in space, science medical etc.. to many to list, plus the satellites we use, I would suppose you have a cell phone, which is done by satellites as well as all sorts of stuff from communications to cable tv, and monitoring foriegn countries. While I realize not all satellites are put in orbit by the shutlle, are rocket programs are decreasing as well. We no longer launch the Titan, and the Delta III only has 1 launch left, limited Atlas rocket launches and Delta 4's.

Booya!!!

How the hell is this going to help the economy? How is discontinuing programs that were in the start and not using shuttles that were built or being built for such programs going to save any money. Here is how I see it. If you dont know anything about our space program and its benefits you shouldnt be able to have an opinion. Just because you dont care about space doesnt mean it hasnt done wonders for our country, economy, technology etc.

I honestly could care less about the space program.. yeah, going to the moon is a big accomplishment, but why would we really need to explore Mars? I doubt that 2012 is going to whipe us out and then we have to move to the moon. Seriously the space program wasn't the best invention the governmet has created

Who said 2012 is going to happen? Certainly not the Mayans, the Hopi or any other civilization. Just because the Mayan Calander ends on 2012 and other civilizations say a CHANGE is going to happen around then doesnt mean the world is going to end. That is just what some modern humans have created. We may know more about that calander and the Mayans if the asshole Chatholics and Spanish Inquisition didnt destroy them and their books because they didnt have a Christian point of view. That is a different story though

The moon has many benefits. It has an abundance of H3 which the Earth doesnt because it burns up in the atmosphere. When we run out of fossil fuels where are we going to turn for energy? Not to mention H3 is a much more cleaner and more efficient source of energy!!!!!

If 2012 happens or any other astronomical event happens that kills off all the humans we wont need to go to the moon to live. We will be dead!!! DUH!!!! The point of exploring and colonizing Mars is for when something like that happens. Also to find out about our origin. I do think Mars has a lot to offer on both subjects.

Do you know how much andvancement we have made because of the space programs? Not only new technology but also motivation and unity.

Sometimes there is no getting around being rude when you are dealing with ignorance and opinions formed from no research at all. Beautiful posts, Olimpia. I couldnt agree more. Maybe this will spark some interest in the "Debbie Downers" and they may research this subject some so they can base a real opinion on the facts.

 

[Cainschams]

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/225704-Comet-Elenin-Update-

Here is some more fun space facts. Actually, it might not be so fun for us Everytime this comet, the earth and our sun aligns there has been major earth quakes since this comet entered the outer planets of our solar system. Point being, if we want to know more about why things happen the way they do on our earth we need to know more about what is happening in space.

I just cant beleive some if the attitudes in this thread.

Here is one about mining the moon.
http://www.eastfieldnews.com/2.6688/mining-the-moon-1.974765