Written by: Derek Kessler (Trek United News Director)
Both a former U.S. Senator and a legendary astronaut, when John Glenn speaks about NASA, people have a tendency to listen. Glenn not only was the first US astronaut to orbit the Earth, but also is the oldest astronaut, having rode the space shuttle into orbit in 1998 – at age of 77. Glenn was present at the unveiling of the restored HD NASA footage earlier this week, where he called on a NASA funding boost to extend shuttle flights and continue work on the International Space Station.
The space shuttles are planned for a retirement in 2010, following the loss of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. The replacement crew launch system, Orion, is not projected to come online until 2014 at the very earliest, leaving NASA reliant on Russia for access to the ISS.
Additionally, NASA is only committed to funding the ISS until the end of the program in 2017, with funding drawdown projected to begin in 2015. By that time, NASA will have invest more than US$100 billion in the station, nearly 64% of the total cost. At $157 billion, the ISS is the most expensive object ever built, topping the $25 billion for China’s Three Gorges Dam and $14.7 for Boston’s Big Dig interstate tunnel project, and $11.5 billion (inflation adjusted) for the Channel Tunnel between England and France.
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I do think that it is ridiculous to phase out our main means of putting humans into space while a replacement is not available. I keep thinking of all those B-52’s, C-5’s, and C-130’s still in operation after decades of service that get regular upgrades. Why can we not do the same thing for the shuttle fleet?
The only problem with this is one more accident with the shuttle will do irreparable damage to the manned space program. It makes more sense to increase funding and fast-track the Constellation program. Good Lord, in the 1960’s they developed Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, culminating with a man landing on the moon. This has nothing to do with technology. We have the technology to do this. It is about political will.
Forget the government. Any further true advancement and exploration will happen thru private industry. Once a profit can be made then NASA will be pushed out of the way by the corperations. Reliance on the government will only lead to disappointments.
The lack of funds available to NASA, (and being funneled to the war) is another chief roadblock. If the US would have given just 10% of what it has spent on the war to space development (Along with the monies they already have) we would be much further ahead. The space program is being starved to death. Red tape adds to the problem, and a bloated-NASA infrastructure seals the deal.
The only exciting thing happening right now is the private space race. New Mexico’s Space port, and the other X-Prize groups that are still moving ahead to a commercial model.
Say what you want about capitalism, but as soon as there is money to be made in space, things will happen fast. Best we can hope for is that a big rock full of cheap/clean energy is found close to Earth. The energy companies will have a space-mining rig in orbit within a year. 😉
Yes, Michael Lonergan nailed it; the bosses would’ve done their risk analysis and concluded any further accidents would end the programme. As sad as I am to see it end, I think they got it right, now looking towards Orion.