Bye Bye Space Shuttles!

[VictorB]

NASA extends space contract with Russia on ISS

 

[jomo]

Why not? We count on China to make everything for us.

 

[kernelofwisdom]

Being on top was fun while it lasted!

It is nice of the Russians and Chinese to at least offer us spots for money.

 

[geochem1st]

A very sad day indeed.


One of the key things about NASA was its safety program. It also made the program very expensive, protecting human life usually is. The Soviets never did release it's true safety record. You couldn't pay me enough to go up in Soviet craft.

Lets see how the Private Sector performs with safety.... any bets??

 

[PraXis]

I'm sure Virgin Atlantic (or whatever company is doing it) will be fine.

 

[geochem1st]

I'm sure Virgin Atlantic (or whatever company is doing it) will be fine.

Oh ye of great faith!

 

[kernelofwisdom]

I always thought pushing frontiers in space had value just in the effort.

I'm not the Kennedy fan a lot of people are, but I admired his challenge to get to the moon. And before somebody says it didn't have a commercial or social payoff, I'll point out the whole effort to fake that really laid the groundwork for the next generation of special effects in movies.

Granted NASA isn't the same as it was back then, and there is not and has not been a push to do any "game-changers." That being the case, I can see a lot of people saying what's the big deal, scale it back. But I still think it is a bad call.

 

[Scooter2112]

Lets see how the Private Sector performs with safety.... any bets??

Govt. is able to pay unlimited amounts with money it doesn't have. Don't kid yourself.

 

[geochem1st]

Govt. is able to pay unlimited amounts with money it doesn't have. Don't kid yourself.

The entire space program run in the 1960's did not add anything significant to the deficit. NASA's budget represented less than 1% of the total budget each year since 1977.

 

[geochem1st]

"Before they complain about it, I wish the moaners would take the time to find out a few things about NASA's measly 1%. It has added billions of dollars back to our economy. It's about the only program in the federal budget that has a track record of doing that. When NASA does cutting-edge work, new products are devised and people, Americans, are put to work producing them. To keep our economy steaming and pay our bills, we have to stay ahead in product innovation. That means inventing and manufacturing new products. One proven way to do that is to get the space program going with some real work."

"Let's be clear. Space is a nasty and cruel place for human beings. The analogy that going into space is like Columbus sailing off to discover the New World followed by hordes of immigrants is ludicrous. The moon isn't the Bahamas and Mars isn't New England. Antarctica is the better analogy. The world has been mucking around down there for over a century, but I don't see too many towns sprouting up on the ice. Yet what's happening there is productive."
Extra - WSJ.com



Even though this is a WSJ opinion peice I agree 100%.

 

[River]

I'm glad to see the shuttle itself go by the board. It's an obsolete death trap, and makes me nervous as shit every time it takes off and they start checking the tile damage.

On the other hand, I find the lack of support for our space program appalling. A viable replacement, not associated with Wile E. Coyote and Acme Manufacturing, should have been in place long ago.

 

[Splattle101]

I'm glad to see the shuttle itself go by the board. It's an obsolete death trap, and makes me nervous as shit every time it takes off and they start checking the tile damage.

On the other hand, I find the lack of support for our space program appalling. A viable replacement, not associated with Wile E. Coyote and Acme Manufacturing, should have been in place long ago.

Agree.

The Shuttle that NASA finally got in 81 is neither fish nor fowl, and is the result of the budget cuts of the early 70s. It's not a heavy lifter at all. But neither is it an efficient people mover because it drags that cargo bay around.

The more rational approach would be to go for a real heavy lifting capabilty in the form of a very large disposable / semi-reuseable rocket, and then as a completely separate matter build a small space plane for getting humans to and from orbit.

As it is, the Russians have had the only heavy lifter in the game for years. The only thing nearly in its class is the dwindling stock of old Titans. I wonder how many of those are left?

 

[Howard2k]

Anyone know how the funding for NASA compares with the funding for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq?

 

[Micky]

Now that all the big stuff has been brought up there for ISS, shuttles that big aren't needed anymore.

You can send humans back and forth in the Soyuz 'Yugo'.

I will bet NASA's funding is miniscule in comparison to Iraq and Afghanistan...

 

[dougk]

Even though this is a WSJ opinion peice I agree 100%.

Couldn't agree more. NASA, science, education and exploration, should be MUCH more than the minority of our budget. I'm a huge fan of NASA and everything they've ever done.

 

[twinrider1]

Sooo, even less incentive for our children to study math and science. Sad.

 

[Damien]

Sometimes the US Government reminds me of the Ferengi. Why go into space? There's no profit in it!

"Justifying space exploration because we get non-stick frying pans is like justifying music because it is good exercise for the violinists right arm." - Richard Dawkins

 

[redcoats1976]

nope,all we got was tang,better computers,solar power technology,and the pride of being number one.dont guess we really "need" that anymore,do we?

 

[Damien]

nope,all we got was tang,better computers,solar power technology,and the pride of being number one.dont guess we really "need" that anymore,do we?

I think you misinterpreted what I said... I didn't mean that America didn't get anything out of the space race. I meant that Mr. American Government (the anthropomorphic caricature of the US Government I just imagined) sits behind his desk in the oval office listening to some scientists explain why space is important, and this happens:

Mr. Government: "Yeah yeah that's all cool and whatever. But will we like...get any money from space?"

Scientists: "Umm..."

Mr. Government: "Like, is there a moon made entirely out of diamonds or something that we're gonna go to? I mean why are we even bothering with all this space stuff? There's gotta be hot chicks or gold or something right?"

Scientists: "Well just think of the benefits to humanity..."

Mr. Government: "What benefits, genius? If we GET to the moon again, what are we gonna do, open a Starbucks there? Who's gonna buy Starbucks on the moon, dude? There's nobody there!"

Scientists: "Well sir, there's more types of success than just monetary gains..."

Mr. Government: "Screw this space stuff. I'm giving the 500 billion dollars to the army. At least they blow @%@$ up and have cool helicopters and bring back oil and partnerships with other countries. What does space get us? Nada!"

 

[jomo]

Don't forget, NASA invented WD-40! Where would we be without that?