Space Shuttle Retirement
Reading some headlines today about the return of the last Space Shuttle Discovery mission to the International Space Station I noticed a tidbit about it being on of the last for the program. While being very young and not fully comprehending the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, it sticks out in my mind still to this day. I still remember hearing about it during my lunch break from a teacher at our tiny lunch tables and then going to watch it on a small TV while the search and rescue pool floats were looking for any signs of wreckage. The teachers were especially upset as this was the first, and subsequently last mission in which a teacher, Christa McAulife was on board as part of the Teachers in Space Project.
I’ve always been interested in the space program, but as many of you have surely observed, we pay very little attention to space travel these days. Many missions go practically unnoticed by most people, and it is just taken for granted which is sort of amazing at how much of an actual accomplishment this is every single time one is sent into orbit.
The retirement of the Shuttle program was set to be this year, but it appears that it is unlikely to wrap up this soon. The Shuttle program had its first of four test flights in 1981, which were followed by operational flights beginning in 1982. The program is now expected to be disbanded in 2011 after 134 launches.
The plan to retire the Space Shuttle by the end of 2010 was launched in January 2004 by President George W. Bush. The President directed NASA to use the Space Shuttle primarily to complete construction of the International Space Station and then retire the system.
“We analyzed the Space Shuttle flight rates and schedules to determine whether the planned manifest appears reasonable and achievable,” said Paul Martin, NASA’s inspector general, in his report. “Our calculations and agency internal reviews indicate that it will most likely take NASA until early 2011 to complete the last of the four remaining flights. Our analysis now predicts that the last of the four remaining Shuttle flights will launch in January 2011.”
The next plan is to use “space Taxis” that will turn over the bulk of its station cargo flights to two U.S. firms, Space Exploration Technologies and Orbital Sciences Corp., which hold contracts worth $3.5 billion to deliver supplies to the orbiting outpost.
Russian Soyuz capsules have already become the sole means for ferrying crewmembers to and from the station, a service that costs the United States $51 million a seat.
U.S. President Barack Obama wants to spend $6 billion over the next five years to help U.S. firms develop space taxi services so the country won’t have to depend on the foreign transport.
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Filed under: Space, Space Tech by JMH
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i am saving money for my retirement because i want to enjoy most of my time as an old man..;.
as for my retirement, i plan to retire on an asian country and live a quiet and simple life.-~`
i always save money for my own retirement, i would also like to invest on some stuffs:*;
when i get a retirement, i would like to spend it on a tropical island with a very relaxing atmosphere”"`
when i do get my retirement, i would really love to relax near the beach and enjoy a home on a tropical country .~,
Wow, I’m completely razzed the discovery flight ultimately launched. However, I admit I’m bummed because the space shuttle program is finishing up. NASA’s new stuff just doesn’t appear as exciting as the shuttes.