More History in the Making

[Tom]

The last trips of the space shuttles are taking place.  Shuttle, Discovery, will return from it's last trip to space tomorrow and already salutes of all kinds are taking place.  Some very interesting articles are being written in Newspapers, magazines and on the Internet about the ships, their last crews, their first crews and the United States of America's contribution to space exploration.  It's a time when everyone should pay attention to what is written.

Some think this is the end.  Many are hoping that a new day arises.  The years that the USA has spent as the leader of space exploration may be coming to an end as the baton is passed to other nations whom have been deemed to be more capable; all in the view of a few who believe in the New World Order and the decline of the American Spirit and American capabilities.

It's been twenty-seven years since Discovery first lifted from the pad in its tour of duty. Much of today's youth weren't born and many of today's "Leaders" were too young to appreciate the beginnings of Man in Space.  Americans and Russians alike, sat on the cool end of a huge rocket, in the beginning, and hoped for a controlled burn.  The Space Shuttle was the ultimate of "Space liners" as they could take many men and experiments aloft.

Where do we go from  here?

[Warbird]

Where do we go from  here?

Back down to Earth, our roots, remembering where we come from and what got us here.

[scottyblue]

Where do we go from  here?

Back down to Earth, our roots, remembering where we come from and what got us here.

Are you saying NASA should be dumped?

[sharp edge]

They should make a place to live on the moon. Then take people like Tom up there and live for a year.The body in moon gravity would fix it self of things that go wrong with age. He would then come back here and live to be 150-200 yrs old.

SE

ps   IF it worked out for Tom I woud go next.

[DanG]

I think it is a big mistake to cancel the shuttle program, and just walking away from our leadership role in space exploration.  When we do that, it is another big step in giving up our leadership role here on Earth.   I feel like our leadership is a benefit to all of mankind, as we are the only superpower in history that has tried to give to the lesser countries rather than just conquering and exploiting them.

So just who are we turning Space over to?  Would it be Russia, China, Germany, and Japan?  Oh yeah, that'll be ok.  We've never had any problem with those good friends.

[fishpharmer]

The US is making a mistake by ending the space shuttle program.   All those that wanted "change" are getting it.  I was in school when the first shuttles flew, we watched in exitement with hope for the future.

[northwoods1]

The US is making a mistake by ending the space program.   All those that wanted "change" are getting it.  I was in school when the first shuttles flew, we watched in exitement with hope for the future.

The U.S. is not ending the space program. The shuttle as we know it will be history after discovery gets back though. That is because it has become outdated, just like most people do not drive 1984 vehicles any longer, the space program can not be flying 27 yr. old vehicles into outerspace   I don't think the U.S. is ready to relinquish the title to being 1st in space exploration or nor should it. To want to bury your head in the sand and not think that is the only logical place for humankind to explore and set roots in is really foolish and shortsighted.

I believe what you will see happening is the space program here in the United States will implement some of the new designs for space vehicles it has been developing for many years now. But more importantly... what you will see happen is private enterprise is just about ready to take over. That is when things will really begin to change. And what will bring that about more than anything is when they figure out how to make money exploiting resources that are not contained here on earth. Then you will see a gold rush style mentality fighting to develop the ways and means to make it possible to exploit the resources that have currently been unavailable to us here on earth.

I don't mind my tax money being used at all to support space exploration because I realize it is for the betterment of all humankind. What more noble undertaking is there than that???

[Warbird]

Where do we go from  here?

Back down to Earth, our roots, remembering where we come from and what got us here.

Are you saying NASA should be dumped?

Absolutely not.  I'm saying this country has forgotten what made it great.

[Bandmill Bandit]

With a target of getting back to the moon by 2020 I don't see things slowing down at all. The USA has been THE LEADER with Canada and the revised Russia very important supporters in that leadership role.

It is time for the governments to implement a diminishing role as private enterprise moves up and then into those roles. I see transition that will experience the growing pains that go with that.

Think of how this continent got settled. Columbus was financed by government yet the Mayflower and many that followed did not arrive here as a result of a government funded programs in those early years. After almost a century of development here on the ground Gov programs did play a role again to encourage development, exploration (or should that read EXPLOITATION) and settlement that lasted well into the 20th century.    

The Shuttle was a great program as were the predecessors Apollo and Gemini. The void will be a filled. IMHO We aint seen nothin yet!    

[northwoods1]

Where do we go from  here?

Back down to Earth, our roots, remembering where we come from and what got us here.

Are you saying NASA should be dumped?

Absolutely not.  I'm saying this country has forgotten what made it great.

Lets talk about that for a moment then. What made this country great?

What made people want to move here from Europe?

Was it the prospect of a better life?

What made them continue to come and populate up to the Mississippi valley? Immigrants just kept flooding in... why was that? Because they were unhappy in Europe? And oppressed?

What made them move on to the Rocky Mountains, start a state called Texas, move on to California and have to fight Spain, France and England for the right to do it? Who were these men and women who took it upon themselves to populate these new frontiers and ask nothing more than to simply have a place of there own and live the way they wanted without being bothered by others? These "explorers" and settlers?

Why do people move to Alaska?

Why should they move beyond the limits of earths atmosphere? I think the answer is obvious. It is the same kind of mentality that explorers had at every time since the beginning of creation that exists now with people who want to explore beyond earths limits.

That mentality is what built this country and made it great in my opinion.

[Texas Ranger]

NASA has been laying off employees for the last 5 years.  Plans fall through as finance fails.  It will take a visionary like JFK to get back in space.  I see none like him in the future.

[JV]

Something overlooked by many.  The great strides in medicine, manufacturing, electronics, etc. derived from the space program.  Metals, ceramics, sub-miniature electronics, batteries, computers, carbon fiber construction, insulation, solar panels; I could go on and on.  Many items that have become daily necessities were derived from or greatly improved as a result of research during the space program.  Who knows what could happen in the next 50 years. 

[Holmes]

Something overlooked by many.  The great strides in medicine, manufacturing, electronics, etc. derived from the space program.  Metals, ceramics, sub-miniature electronics, batteries, computers, carbon fiber construction, insulation, solar panels; I could go on and on.  Many items that have become daily necessities were derived from or greatly improved as a result of research during the space program.  Who knows what could happen in the next 50 years. 

JV  You are absolutely correct..  Holmes

[scottyblue]

Where do we go from  here?

Back down to Earth, our roots, remembering where we come from and what got us here.

Are you saying NASA should be dumped?

Absolutely not.  I'm saying this country has forgotten what made it great.

Oh,I see.Thanks.I just wasn't following what you meant.

[scottyblue]

Something overlooked by many.  The great strides in medicine, manufacturing, electronics, etc. derived from the space program.  Metals, ceramics, sub-miniature electronics, batteries, computers, carbon fiber construction, insulation, solar panels; I could go on and on.  Many items that have become daily necessities were derived from or greatly improved as a result of research during the space program.  Who knows what could happen in the next 50 years. 

You stole my thunder.I was about to point that out.

Some folks say,why are we wasting money playing around in space?Or why spend the money on it when there are starving people in the world?

As you point out,they are overlooking the practical applications.They are not just up there conducting esoteric experiments.Much of the technology we use originated with the space program.Not to mention weather forecasting,hurricane observation,forest fire monitoring,cell phones etc.All of which is done with satellites which NASA put up there and maintains.As far as I know.And the fact we have starving people has nothing to do with lack of money.If that were the case,The US and my country,Canada,could end starvation tomorrow.It's lack of political will and many of those countries are corrupt dictatorships and on and on.

Cheers

[Toolman]

If this country does'nt get its finances straightened out and keeps on devaluing our dollar, we won't have much of a country left. That should be our priority right now. Spending billions on space exploration does'nt make much sense when we are struggling as a Country just to pay our bills. If the dollar is no longer used as world currency, we will all be lucky to afford just to pay our way to go to and from work. Sorry, spending this kind of money during this National crisis does'nt interest me much.

[Tom]

Toolman, I understand the sentiment. I get riled up about the money being spent too.  But I have to stop a minute and do some comparisons and get things prioritized in my mind a bit to get straightened back out.

I know that NASA and the Space Program is a lot of money, relative to the individual's budget.  But, it is a drop in the bucket when compared with the myriad of useless things, pork and spending-in-other-countries that we do.  What I like about the space program is that it generates jobs. You think that Michigan is a low spot because of Detroit's closings?  Imagine Cocoa, Fl., Houston, Tx., and Moffet Field in California without it.  The NASA site (google NASA) gives a map of NASA installations across the country (LINK), each providing hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs and supporting communities as well as just the families.

Along with this infrastructure are the side benefits of discovery and invention that have caused us, and the entire world, to experience new horizons, both financially and medically.

Of course there is also the pride.  It makes me feel mighty special to have been a part of the USA during these beginning years of Space Exploration.  It sets us apart from the Somalias and Nigerias and even made us Stars in the eyes of the developed nations.

When I look at what we have gained and think of what we might gain in the future, it's hard for me to lump our efforts in space into the same boiling pot that we throw the grants for the sexual behavior of a nondescript insect in Africa. 

A google of Government Grants, or Useless Government Grants won't uncover the Nations whole financial problem, but it certainly will enlighten as to the mind-set of both the Government and many citizens who spend their every awakened hour trying to get their hands on Free Government Money, or providing more of it to be taken.

In our ire, we must try not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. 

[caveman]

This evening, while out tinkering with the mill, my friend noticed that they had launched a rocket of some sort from the Cape.  We stood and watched it until it was out of site.  I hollered to my kids and their friends on my back porch and they too stood and watched.  We tried to watch the shuttle launch the other day but the sky was too cloudy to see from where I live.  Seeing the Shuttle Challenger explode years ago makes each successful launch a special occasion. 

[mrcaptainbob]

Uh...there was a revised focus for NASA, I believe last year. It had nothing to do with space exploration....Charles Bolden, the Nasa administrator and astronaut had a conversation with Al Jazeera's Imran Garda in July of 2010. Interesting new direction for a space agency.

[Ironwood]

Guys, dont forget the real technology driver for centuries has been warfare. Yes, the space program has helped as of late, but real driver is for military supremecy, just a thought.

 Ironwood