The end of the shuttle: good or bad?

[2Stater]

I have mixed feelings.  I'm not for NASA losing 12,000 people, but I do think the bright minds at NASA could probably be used in a more productive way.  There hasn't been a whole lot of profound gains in research coming from that organization in the last 20 years, certainly not the leaps they were making in the 60s and 70s.  I would like to see them start doing more R&D for the military.

But there really has. The boost we've seen in technology over the last 30 years is directly attributed to the space program. Whether it's technology developed and used by the astronauts and then passed on to tech companies for our use, or technology related to satellites sent into orbit, it came directly from the space program. This is a sad day in my opinion.

[Old Tider]

I have mixed feelings.  I'm not for NASA losing 12,000 people, but I do think the bright minds at NASA could probably be used in a more productive way.  There hasn't been a whole lot of profound gains in research coming from that organization in the last 20 years, certainly not the leaps they were making in the 60s and 70s.  I would like to see them start doing more R&D for the military.

But there really has. The boost we've seen in technology over the last 30 years is directly attributed to the space program. Whether it's technology developed and used by the astronauts and then passed on to tech companies for our use, or technology related to satellites sent into orbit, it came directly from the space program. This is a sad day in my opinion.

And don't forget the amazing revelations of the Hubble (which we can no longer repair, I suppose).

[Coach Hank Crisp]

Rick Perry Accuses Obama Of Leaving Astronauts To 'Hitchhike Into Space'

As America bids farewell to the space shuttle era on Thursday, likely presidential candidate Rick Perry appears none too pleased with the Obama administration, accusing the president of “leaving American astronauts with no alternative but to hitchhike into space.”

In a sharply worded statement issued by the governor of Texas -- the state is home to the Johnson Space Center -- Perry charges that the Obama Administration

 “continues to lead federal agencies and programs astray, this time forcing NASA away from its original purpose of space exploration, and ignoring its groundbreaking past and enormous future potential.”


I like this guy. I hope he runs in 2012.

Link

 

[Hannibal Lecter, MD]

I have mixed feelings.  I'm not for NASA losing 12,000 people, but I do think the bright minds at NASA could probably be used in a more productive way.  There hasn't been a whole lot of profound gains in research coming from that organization in the last 20 years, certainly not the leaps they were making in the 60s and 70s.  I would like to see them start doing more R&D for the military.

But there really has. The boost we've seen in technology over the last 30 years is directly attributed to the space program. Whether it's technology developed and used by the astronauts and then passed on to tech companies for our use, or technology related to satellites sent into orbit, it came directly from the space program. This is a sad day in my opinion.

Your statement is way too broad.  What advancements and where are you getting your information from?  War is the best catalyst for technology; after that it is money.

[2Stater]

I have mixed feelings.  I'm not for NASA losing 12,000 people, but I do think the bright minds at NASA could probably be used in a more productive way.  There hasn't been a whole lot of profound gains in research coming from that organization in the last 20 years, certainly not the leaps they were making in the 60s and 70s.  I would like to see them start doing more R&D for the military.

But there really has. The boost we've seen in technology over the last 30 years is directly attributed to the space program. Whether it's technology developed and used by the astronauts and then passed on to tech companies for our use, or technology related to satellites sent into orbit, it came directly from the space program. This is a sad day in my opinion.

Your statement is way too broad.  What advancements and where are you getting your information from?  War is the best catalyst for technology; after that it is money.

Start with much of the computer technology and go from there.

Here is a link that talks a little about those techs.

Click here for link

[Hannibal Lecter, MD]

Most of the technology on that page (NASA's own "this is why we're worth your tax dollars" page) is YEARS and YEARS old.  I'm not sure what line of work you're in, but I work in the tech field.  Actually my BS is in Computer Engineering, so I do read some technological publications and what not.  I've really not seen us get our money's worth out of the space program to this day.  It has been far more useful as a tool for national pride than science.

[KoKoPuf]

I agree, Doc.  Most of the tech advances are the result of military research rather than the space program. Plus, how many of the advancements would have come anyway by private industry working to fill a market need? I say pretty much all of them.

[Hannibal Lecter, MD]

I agree, Doc.  Most of the tech advances are the result of military research rather than the space program. Plus, how many of the advancements would have come anyway by private industry working to fill a market need? I say pretty much all of them.

Right...I'm not saying that NASA hasn't produced some advancements.  They have, though most of them were in the 60s-70s.  But then you can throw money into R&D and get advancements regardless of the goal. IMO, the benefits of the end result - being able to put a man in space - has nothing to do with 98% of the advancements that were made.  It's just yet to prove worthy of the cost as far as I can tell.  Maybe someone in the medical, physics, or chemistry fields would disagree, IDK, but I just don't see it.

I also understand it's probably easier for me to make these statements than most people due to my youth (30yo).  I wasn't around for the space race with the Commies and barely remember the taste of the Cold War at all.  I just don't have the nostalgia for the space program that many Americans still have.

[KoKoPuf]

I remember the Space Race and the euphoria over landing a man on the moon (or the Nevada desert). At that time NASA was probably the best place in the world to work. But without a real goal to work toward, the whole space program just seemed to be the same as digging a hole and then filling it back up. Again and again.

[2Stater]

I really don't know if the NASA tech. advances were worth the money they put into the space program or not (My guess is not, due to the huge bill), but those advancements have always been a part of the space program. Not so much lateley, but regular reports used to be newsworthy concerning some of those developments and how they were adapted to use by the average person. The only point that I was trying to make was that there have been significant gains by the bright minds of NASA.

[Old Tider]

If you think we've wasted money, be happy Bush's fantasy never happened of building another manned spacecraft by 2008 and landing on the moon again by 2015 and living there!

Click here for link

[2Stater]

If you think we've wasted money, be happy Bush's fantasy never happened of building another manned spacecraft by 2008 and landing on the moon again by 2015 and living there!

Click here for link

I would be happy to pitch in for BHO to move there.

[Coach Hank Crisp]

I thought that Russia charged only $30 million for a round trip to the space station the US helped build, but it is actually $63 million.

 

[SUPERCOACH]

And it will be 200 million by the time we get finished printing worthless money.

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