As you know, it’s made me pretty unhappy that this country no longer has any operating manned spacecraft.
So tapping into that, and this recent news, Robert Ariail has captured my concern well.
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Speaking of cartoons, I particularly like Robert’s latest, about the space nonrace
Yes, I’m disappointed that I don’t know what our next manned launch vehicle is. Constellation, the program that Obama cancelled, was never fully funded under the Bush administration.
I’ve always wanted to see a Shuttle launch. I finally made it to see Atlantis launch on July 8, from the NASA Causeway, 6 miles from the launch pad. I was an invited guest at NASA’s first and only tweetup for a Shuttle landing. I saw Atlantis land on July 21, 200 yards from the runway. I was next to the control tower.
I posted this over on Robert’s blog. It’s waiting moderation:
Since Columbia broke apart over the skies of Texas in 2003, the Space Shuttle has not done any crew rotation to the Space Station.
The Space Shuttle has enough reserves for fuel, and power for about two weeks at the Station. Where as the Soyuz has a span of 6 to 9 months that can be docked to the Space Station.
The Space Shuttle cannot stay indefinitely at the Space Station to be used as a “lifeboat” should there be an emergency aboard the Station and the crew have to abandon the Station. Only the Soyuz can do that.
NASA had designs for a “lifeboat” for the Space Station, but those plans were cancelled.
I’ve been depressed about this situation for over a year now.
I especially hate it for my two young boys. I remember being so interested in rockets, and airplanes, and space, and the Shuttle when I was in elementary and middle school.
Kids today don’t care because it’s simply not a goal for the country anymore.
‘Tis truly a pity. Our nation lost its sense of priorities somewhere along the way.
I heard today that the number of astronauts is at a low 61, down from the peak when there were 149. I wonder what those 61 are doing, I mean besides waiting for a pink slip.