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UNI-verse Whether to extend life of space shuttles or not? Oh, well maybe?
UNI-verse Whether to extend life of space shuttles or not? Oh, well maybe? | Whether to extend life of space shuttles or not? Oh, well maybe? |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Thursday, 01 May 2008 | |
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Page 2 of 2 The U.S. Senate has a committee that authorizes funds to NASA with proper governmental approval): the Commerce Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related Sciences (part of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Space, and Transportation. The website of the House Committee on Science and Technology states that its, “… jurisdiction includes all non-defense federal scientific research and development (R&D) at a number of federal agencies, including (either completely or in part): National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), . [and others].” The website of the Space and Aeronautics subcommittee, within the Committee on Science and Technology, states, “In general, the Subcommittee handles issues related to civilian aviation and U.S. space activity. This includes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), ... [and other agencies]. Recently the Subcommittee has dealt with the next generation of air traffic control, NASA aeronautics programs and NASA's Vision for Space Exploration.” Yes, these committees are under budget constraints, too. They want to use their available monies to the best advantage of the country. However, I wonder why the U.S. Congress (both the Senate and the House) didn’t think about this predicament much, much earlier. The Space Shuttle fleet, even in the first year of operation, had only so many operational years before its reliability came into question. They were first flown in the early 1980s. It is now over twenty-five years later. Long term thinking is difficult, at best. It is much easier to think in the short term. If they had thought in the long term, maybe we (the United States) wouldn’t have to go without manned launch capabilities for four or five years—from the end of STS in 2010 to the beginning of Constellation in 2014 or 2015. Still, the problem exists that the United States will not have any manned launch capabilities for at least four years under current conditions. Private companies are developing launch vehicles that most likely will not be ready to transport astronauts back and forth from the Space Station. A few other countries are pursuing spacecraft that could transport our astronauts into space and return them to Earth. But, as of the end of the last flight of the Space Shuttle Fleet (which is scheduled to be completed in May 2010) only the Russian Soyuz spacecraft will be able, as of May 2008, to take U.S. astronauts to and forth between the Space Station. Maybe something else will come available in the next two years. And, maybe not. It only seems that we (aka: the United States, specifically the federal government) could have planned for this a little bit better. Of course, this is the same government that didn't authorize sufficent money to build a good space shuttle fleet in the first place. As the old saying goes, "You get what you pay for." Please read NASA History article "On the Eve of Shuttle (1973-1980)".
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