Anyone have any thoughts about the final space shuttle flight?

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/...uttle-program/

It's a bittersweet thing for me: proud of our nation and this program and sad to see it come to an end.

I'm somewhat frustrated that we aren't ending it because we've developed the next generation of space vehicle but are closing down a program that could have continued until whatever is "next" is proven and ready to go.

I also feel that we're going to pay for this in the years to come. When you hear the NASA people talk (and I know some personally) they pursued their degrees because of the dream of space flight. They feel somewhat betrayed at this point, but even more, where's the inspiration for the next generation of engineers and astronauts? I don't think telling someone that if they work real hard and concentrate on the sciences that they might get to ride a Russian rocket into space someday is going to be a great inspiration for our brightest young people.

Anyway, God-speed Atlantis.

[Dave McClung]

I have mixed feelings too. I am disappointed that there is not clear path concerning America's future in space.

[Eric Frey]

Agreed. He is the problem. It is a problem everywhere. REactivity rather than PROactivity. The end of this program is a pure REaction. In some ways to the last shuttle disaster. In some ways to current economics. Probably some other things too. But where was the proactivity? Did they think the shuttle would last forever? Why wait until we get to this point to plan for the future? Why wait for a disaster to do what needs done. Again, this is not a NASA problem, this is a human problem.

[Brian Hammons]

While I was watching the news coverage, I was flashing back to the 60's when I watched every possible Apollo lift-off as I was exercising my imagination w/ my G.I. Joe astronaut and space capsule. When NASA started the Teacher in Space program, I applied. I was rejected immediately due to lack of the required 5 year classroom experience. Just as well, I guess, because I don't think they make space suits in size 3XL.

[Mike Schutz]

This does seem to be generational with the general public. Those of us raised on Gemini and Apollo are of one mind, and those younger do not seem to have the romanticized view of it.
As a younger friend of mine posted on Twitter and Facebook - "The mission is to deliver supplies & bring home trash? That's kind of expensive for a pizza delivery and a garbage truck."

[Billy Cox]

Agreed. He is the problem. It is a problem everywhere. REactivity rather than PROactivity. The end of this program is a pure REaction. In some ways to the last shuttle disaster. In some ways to current economics. Probably some other things too. But where was the proactivity? Did they think the shuttle would last forever? Why wait until we get to this point to plan for the future? Why wait for a disaster to do what needs done. Again, this is not a NASA problem, this is a human problem.

Yet the space program was reactive from day one. The urgency behind the Apollo program to land on the moon, was not some sort of misty-eyed idealism or scientific curiosity, but was the profound fear that the Russians would get it done first.

[Billy Cox]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/...uttle-program/

It's a bittersweet thing for me: proud of our nation and this program and sad to see it come to an end.

I'm somewhat frustrated that we aren't ending it because we've developed the next generation of space vehicle but are closing down a program that could have continued until whatever is "next" is proven and ready to go.

I also feel that we're going to pay for this in the years to come. When you hear the NASA people talk (and I know some personally) they pursued their degrees because of the dream of space flight. They feel somewhat betrayed at this point, but even more, where's the inspiration for the next generation of engineers and astronauts? I don't think telling someone that if they work real hard and concentrate on the sciences that they might get to ride a Russian rocket into space someday is going to be a great inspiration for our brightest young people.

Anyway, God-speed Atlantis.

I think that the shuttle program accomplished many interesting things, at a huge cost, and fell far short of its potential. On the whole, the shuttle program was a net loss.

The urgency for manned space exploration is significantly blunted by the fact that the most interesting planet around is the one we live on.

[Rich Schmidt]

Agreed. He is the problem. It is a problem everywhere. REactivity rather than PROactivity. The end of this program is a pure REaction. In some ways to the last shuttle disaster. In some ways to current economics. Probably some other things too. But where was the proactivity? Did they think the shuttle would last forever? Why wait until we get to this point to plan for the future? Why wait for a disaster to do what needs done. Again, this is not a NASA problem, this is a human problem.

I seem to remember seeing (the past 10-20 years) articles in Popular Mechanics, Time, and eventually online about the vehicles being developed to replace the shuttle someday, complete with renderings, descriptions, etc. They always knew the shuttle wouldn't last forever, and they don't seem to have waited until now to plan for the future. But as long as the shuttle was working and working well, there wasn't much motivation to try to replace it. No urgency. (Kind of like the conversation in another thread about US dollar coins. As long as the dollar bill is around, people will stick with it and avoid the coins.)

Edited to add: Here's an article from Space.com posted back in April that quotes people from NASA saying similar sorts of things. http://www.space.com/11363-nasa-spac...versaries.html

A couple of quotes:

Until then, there will be a gap in American spaceflight similar to the years between the end of the Apollo moon program and the inception of the space shuttles, said NASA's deputy chief Lori Garver.

"NASA has relived this history quite a bit since Apollo," Garver told SPACE.com. "When we talk to our colleagues who are running space agencies around the world, we all struggle with, ‘How do you ramp up a new program while still operating the old one?’ And none of us have really found a way to do that without these gaps."

For Wayne Hale, NASA's former space shuttle program manager, ending the shuttle program is the crucial next step to ensure that America's spaceflight program is constantly evolving.

"My take on the reason we don't have a second shuttle is that the shuttle we have did its job too well," Hale said. "It was just good enough – it wasn't as economical as we wanted, and as we found out, not as safe as we wanted, but it was effective enough to never cross the threshold to the point where we said we needed to replace them."

According to Hale, NASA should have been developing a second-generation space shuttle in the 1980s, long before the disastrous loss of the shuttle Columbia and President George W. Bush's unveiling in 2004 of a new vision that laid the foundation for the shuttles' retirement.

However, "the policymakers just never saw the need, because the shuttle was doing everything just good enough that we could continue to get by," Hale said.

[Ryan Scott]

NPR had an interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson (who is probably the US' most visible astro-physicist, if that means anything). He was talking specifically about how our money is wasted if we're not pushing frontiers. People got excited about Apollo because every mission was a "first" and there was always something new.

I think we do need to decide if we're going to invest for expansion or perhaps simply help to fund a joint space mission with Europe or Japan.

Personally, I'd like to see us expand what NASA does, but that probably requires Congress getting entitlement spending in check, and I'm not holding my breath on that one.

It doesn't really matter to me about the end of the shuttle era. There hasn't been a meaningful launch in the past 25 years and I have only vague recollections of watching the first launch after Challenger in my elementary school (which, again, was probably the last meaningful launch we've had in the program).

[Bob Carabbio]

It appears that we're ending the program because there's really no REAL ECONOMICALLY VALID reason to continue it.

So be it. I have to get up on Monday morning and go to work in the manufacturing sector that my government is actively attempting to destroy through regulations, so that MY bills get paid. Whether there's a "Space Shuttle" or not has NO impact on that REALITY, and so is totally unimportant to me one way or another.

[Deb Jones]

My father worked on the West Coast Space Shuttle program until the Challenger blew up and then the WCSS was mothballed. Other than a couple of times since then we have really seen little in the way of inovation or real increased knowledge come from the shuttle program. It's rather sad. The expensive delivery/garbage truck is way too close to truth for me. If we are going to spend money in space do it by doing new things. But, then, I'm an envelope pusher.

[Gene Tatsch]

machines & computers fascinate me - I skipped class to watch at least one Gemini (?) lift-off, ached when Gus Grissom died in the Apollo-1 launch-pad fire. #1 son was in the womb as we watched the moon landing - in color! - on a friend's TV. Watched the shuttle - an unbelieveably complex system designed & operated with sliderules and (now) archaic computers - actually return "dead stick" safely from orbit.
Yes, it's a horrendous expense, it creates much environmental problems.
But demonstrates just how much of His image He has deigned to share with us - that not only can we verify that we've solved the equations of moving objects, but then can figure how to recover when things go badly wrong. As a complex team (body?) working together for a common goal.
So it's with strong mixed emotions that I watched the final lift-off, thankful for its flawless performance, entering the "wait" phase for something that a generation of folks can work from grade school for the priviledge of being part of the team.

[Webster Fields Jr]

It appears that we're ending the program because there's really no REAL ECONOMICALLY VALID reason to continue it.

So be it. I have to get up on Monday morning and go to work in the manufacturing sector that my government is actively attempting to destroy through regulations, so that MY bills get paid. Whether there's a "Space Shuttle" or not has NO impact on that REALITY, and so is totally unimportant to me one way or another.

The Economics of space flight might actually SAVE human space flight, imo. I can see the Corporations taking over... as technology advances, this usually happens. The more ways to Capitalize on space travel (visits to space, moon resort, etc) the faster we'll see space travel progress. The government could have done things like that.. but with regulations and all that jazz... I'm sure they are less able to do it than Corporations.

Just think... with Challenger and Columbia (2 out of all the shuttle missions) the death of a 14 astronaughts cause world-wide doubts in the American Space Program... at least for a while. If the corporations (kinda like Airlines) lost a plane here or there (as they have).... with 300 people or something on them... well yeah.. there will be an investigation... some maintenance inspections... but things will go on and on.

Besides that... the economic boom with the corps designing, building, and upgrading various space travel platforms... is definitely good for jobs. And the competition between corps would lead to advances in technology that is simply not possible with monopolistic governmental bodies.

I won't even mention the possibility of Harveting Asteroids for natural resources and maybe discovering new elements and stuff we never knew of before.

Too many of us rely on the Government for too much (and some on the organised church for too much). If we all apply ourselves, whether through Economics, or actual person-person ministry... we'll be more effective all around.

You guys probably can see in my statements a lack of expertise or knowledge... but this is just my opinion . Not the Gospel .

[Rich Schmidt]

The Economics of space flight might actually SAVE human space flight, imo. I can see the Corporations taking over... as technology advances, this usually happens. The more ways to Capitalize on space travel (visits to space, moon resort, etc) the faster we'll see space travel progress. The government could have done things like that.. but with regulations and all that jazz... I'm sure they are less able to do it than Corporations.

Several corporations / private individuals have been trying to get into space flight for a long time now. We'll see if any of them succeed.

[Billy Cox]

I won't even mention the possibility of Harveting Asteroids for natural resources and maybe discovering new elements and stuff we never knew of before.

It's hard to imagine how mining asteroids would make economic sense, unless it was to provide a source of raw materials for a space-based manufacturing facility. What we would want to build in space? Maybe a death star, or a galactic fleet?

I don't think there are any 'new elements' to discover...at least not ones that occur in nature. Maybe some of the rare earth elements that can only be produced in a lab on Earth could naturally exist in different environments with far more or far less gravity.

[Mike Schutz]

It doesn't really matter to me about the end of the shuttle era. There hasn't been a meaningful launch in the past 25 years and I have only vague recollections of watching the first launch after Challenger in my elementary school (which, again, was probably the last meaningful launch we've had in the program).

I would disagree - in that the deployment of Hubble was one of the most significant scientific achievements of the last 25 years - both in terms of what we have learned from it - and will learn, and from what we learned by having to fix it.

[Steven Burton]

Well I could tell you they are working on a simulation that will help them develop better space craft but maybe you didn't hear that.

[Gina Stevenson]

While not knowing much about it, was impressed by what I got to see a couple of times in the Houston area ... still would like to experience that weightlessness ... floating from here to there ... sooo cool!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I would disagree - in that the deployment of Hubble was one of the most significant scientific achievements of the last 25 years - both in terms of what we have learned from it - and will learn, and from what we learned by having to fix it.

The theme of VBS this year is Mission to Mars and we have one of the astronauts who reached out and grabbed the Hubble to secure it, Mike Massimino, coming one night to talk to the kids. NASA has also loaned us one of their display spacesuits to put on display. Isn't that neat!

[Webster Fields Jr]

It's hard to imagine how mining asteroids would make economic sense, unless it was to provide a source of raw materials for a space-based manufacturing facility. What we would want to build in space? Maybe a death star, or a galactic fleet?

I don't think there are any 'new elements' to discover...at least not ones that occur in nature. Maybe some of the rare earth elements that can only be produced in a lab on Earth could naturally exist in different environments with far more or far less gravity.

The universe is a big place... well.. our solar system is. Just because we haven't found it here on Earth doesn't mean it don't exist... much more "out there". We are still finding stuff here (in the oceans etc) that we haven't known about .

[Webster Fields Jr]

The theme of VBS this year is Mission to Mars and we have one of the astronauts who reached out and grabbed the Hubble to secure it, Mike Massimino, coming one night to talk to the kids. NASA has also loaned us one of their display spacesuits to put on display. Isn't that neat!

Pastor Scott: The Master of "Networking"

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

So we have it - "Mission Complete - Houston."

A nice photo from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...s-landing.html

[Gina Stevenson]

Was awake just after 5EDT, so decided I'd try to stay up to see the "last" at nearly 6. Fell back asleep when it was nearly time ... heard something like "less than ten minutes," and then ....

Oh, well ... not like we didn't see some others, or that it won't be repeated in the news over & over.

[Billy Cox]

The universe is a big place... well.. our solar system is. Just because we haven't found it here on Earth doesn't mean it don't exist... much more "out there". We are still finding stuff here (in the oceans etc) that we haven't known about .

Yes, and I limited my comment to 'elements'. For example gold has an atomic weight (number of protons) of 79 and mercury has an atomic weight of 80. Unless the laws of physics differ on another planet, there is not going to be a 'new' element with an atomic weight between gold and mercury, which would be 79 protons and a fraction of a proton.

I think it's pretty safe to say that if could dig up some rocks on a random planet 500 light years from Earth, they would be virtually identical to rocks we find on Earth.

As far as complex organisms and considering the wide range of living things present even on Earth, if life exists elsewhere, it would probably be very different than on Earth, but even so, the conditions that allow life to exist are probably very narrow, and we might never find anything that doesn't exist in very similar form on Earth.

[John Kennedy]

Yeah, I'm just wondering what they're gonna' do with that sound stage in Burbank where they staged most of that stuff.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

We're watching the shuttle Endeavour on TV being flown around the NASA/Clear Lake area in preparation for landing at Ellington Field. It just so happens that Jackie isn't at work today and also that no one is home at our son's house. It has been flown around that area for the last hour or so and it most certainly flew over both her workplace and their house.

It's bitter sweet for this area. Even though thousands of people here worked on the shuttle and it's missions were controlled here the shuttle is en-route to California.

Anyway, it's an impressive display - I wish they had flown in a wider circle as we often see military and NASA planes over our community that come out of that airport.

[Gina Stevenson]

NASA there was impressive when we visited it a couple of times from over in Friendswood.

[Bob Carabbio]

On the other hand, there's "SpacEx" corporation, and Elon Musk - Who wants to grow mushrooms on Mars. My Gut Feel is that "NASA People" may find a better host in Elon, than they ever did with the Government's bureaucratic management.

We DO remember the idiotic handling of the "Supercollider" south of Waxahachie TX, which was all Scrapped when the politicians decided that it wasn't to their interest to continue it, don't we????

[Mark Bolerjack]

I hate to see it end without a replacement. I also hated that there was not a shuttle placed in Houston at the NASA complex.

[John Kennedy]

Well, as a final, symbolic gesture, hundreds of trees in LA will be destroyed as the shuttle goes to its final resting place. Once it's finally in place in the museum at Exposition Park we'll probably run down to see it.

[John Reilly]

It's a bittersweet thing for me: proud of our nation and this program and sad to see it come to an end.

The Space Shuttle was an exceptional project. NASA is wise not to push old technology beyond its boundaries. Focus on the MARS project (WE are on MARS) and the Voyager project is a cost effective way of continuing to explore space beyond the limits of risking human life. At this time in our economic situation with a $16 trillion dollar debt, I think it is wise not to spend money on human space flight. Let the robots and the rovers explore for us.

[Katelynn Scott]

I just think it's cool that through the course of trying to develop new space technology, NASA ended up creating/ inventing some other pretty cool things. Thank you NASA, for Velcro! ;o )

[Gina Stevenson]

I just think it's cool that through the course of trying to develop new space technology, NASA ended up creating/ inventing some other pretty cool things. Thank you NASA, for Velcro! ;o )

Hear, too, that they're somewhat responsible for "memory foam." Might not be too bad if I cannot have what my back likes best (properly filled water bed), tho' it costs too much yet!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_foam