Tomorrows launch...

Tom, I hope the best for all at NASA and the historic last shuttle launch tomorrow.

Aaron

STS-134/OV-105/Endeavour away! Sixteen day mission to International Space Station with crew of six. Landing: June 01.

Tom, can you elaborate on Aries at all? I was at the Chicago Science Museum a few weeks ago. VERY interesting.

With our shuttles being discontinued..............how is the ISS going to be serviced/experiments/personnel transport etc. I know you & I have some differences as to NASA operations, but I have to say...............deep sixing the Shuttle program is.........short-sighted...... for more reasons than I wish to type in a post. The only way I see the discontinuance of the older Shuttle craft as feasible, is if there was a proven operational replacement program in place. Which as far as I know at this time........there isn't.

Don't think I should elaborate on another rocket program. . . . at least..... not yet.

As far as Shuttle, , , , , this presidential administration has ended it, cancelled it's replacement.......and has (nearly) cancelled all funding for commercial programs. We will now become reliant upon the Russian "Progress" rocket to transport our astronauts/cosmonauts to our International Space Station. . . . . of which.....is now 'complete'.

As far as the shuttle......it is indeed getting a bit old; yet, fully functional, a great work-horse...........yet a bit expensive. It's cancellation is a bit premature.........and will leave other countries in a position to 'catch-up'......and possibly surpass our accolades. Remember, this administration does not believe that we 'always have to remain #1 in space'..........and it's 'okay' for China, Muslim nations, India and other countries to become #1 .. and share in the elevated experience.

((( Feb 16, 2010 Orlando Sentential; Under the column titled 'THE WRITE STUFF'.....the headline: "Obama/Charlie Bolden wish to have a much higher Muslim presence in our space program" ))).

Not wanting to get 'political'; yet, stating factual National direction.

I wonder how Israel feels about that?

Why put all the work into the Space Station, and then "pull the rug" on the shuttle?

That's a good question for our current 'administration'.

In response to your request on the status of the Ares Program (was to be the follow-on to Shuttle) the Program is dead. Congress has gotten into the business of becoming rocket scientists, and in such capacity has begun dictating to NASA what configurations future space access architecture will be derived from. They have now decided on a "new" architecture called SLS....Space Launch System. It is derived from both Shuttle and Ares thus supposedly taking advantage of previous work. Make no mistake, this decision has nothing to do with the best solution or right direction...it has everything to do with politics, constituents and a jobs program. Quite sad.

"2012 the end of an error".....................i agreed with president bushes initiative to end the space shuttle program as long as there was a replacement. i will make sure i vote in 2012 for the candidate that is willing to fully support the space program!!!!!!!!
chuck.

((( It's more important than you could ever imagine ))).