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We may be at the point where it could be possible that private industry, although with massive amounts of government money, can fly to the International Space Station. I've not seen anybody cutting metal, though.
Fifty years from Alan Shepard's flight in Freedom 7 to the end of the Shuttle flights. That's less than a lifetime. Hell, there are people under the age of sixty who remember Shepard's flight. And we're just going to stroll away from flying into space because it's hard, man and because we'd rather give more tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy?
There's also been some bleating about the Russians charging $50 million a seat to fly to the ISS in a Soyuz capsule. That's compared to about $1.5 billion for a Shuttle flight, which took up seven people. On the other hand, the Shuttle also could fly a large amount of cargo up and it could bring stuff back.
The walking away from space by this country could be construed as further evidence that we have degenerated into a large pack of very short-sighted people. I hope that is not the truth of the matter. But it may be. The Republicans clearly do not give a fuck about anything that does not put money, today, into the pockets of the rich and the corporations. The Democrats would seem to be little better.
If it doesn't involve going overseas and killing people, we seem to have given up on doing things that are hard and risky.
I can't escape the feeling we've seen the pinnacle of human achievement, and the slope down will be much steeper than the slope up was.
ReplyDeleteGoing forward was too hard for us because we thought taxes were too high. An arbitrary percentage of an arbitrary unit of exchange was necessary for progress, comfort, security and survival, and therefore we gave up?
And, for shit's sake, it had to happen in my lifetime?
Small minds cannot conceive of big things.
ReplyDeleteThe rethugs and many others cannot think for tomorrow as its Friday and nothing big can happen on Saturday.. They do not see "tomorrow" as a decade or generation or lifetime.
And so we go.
I grew up in Houston in the 60's and 70's, and we'd go down to NASA after every mission to watch the 2 or 3 hours of inflight film that would be released. I always thought that I was seeing the start of the biggest thing that would happen in my lifetime, something to tell my kids about someday. Too bad we had to scuttle one of the biggest things in human history so that we could save - what? - about 20 cents a year per taxpayer? Just effin brilliant, America.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans clearly do not give a fuck about anything that does not put money, today, into the pockets of the rich and the corporations. The Democrats are no better. (plenty of blame to go around here)
ReplyDeleteI'm old enough to remember looking with awe at the night sky and seeing the first visible satellites move through the stars.
Afraid I have to disagree on this one. The people who design and run those wonderful unmanned vehicles are the real pioneers. They're making fascinating discoveries and real contributions.
ReplyDeleteHumans in space look through a piece of glass, listen through earphones, and manipulate things through gloves so thick they can't use their sense of touch. They might as well stay home and use a joystick.
Good video. "Wow! Wow! That was the single most amazing thing I've ever seen! We *have* to do that again! When are we going to do that again... never?"
ReplyDeleteFunny and yet profoundly sad. I was there in Florida on 7/8/11, had to be.
There is something tremendously moving about there being people at the tip, the spark of a manned launch. Gets me right here, it does.
I hope this isn't the end.. It's definitely a pause. Dammit.