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June, 2025

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End of an Era: Final Shuttle Mission

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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25444 - Karma: 13,856
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html


Well, this is going to be it.

Pathetic. Compared to the billions we carelessly spend on our military, you would think funding a space program would be a drop in the bucket. And not to mention all the useful technologies and industrial boom that the Apollo program led to.

Humans are retreating from the frontier. Are we really this gutless. Does our generation even give a shit?
14 years ago
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BravoWhiskey5280
Posts: 4020 - Karma: 520
Yeah I give a shit but your sense behind funding money away from our military into Space is retarded. Why not take the money we spent on oh lets say the auto bail outs, or bailing out the banks, or providing free heath care, or the "stimulus package" that to this date hasn't done shit to our economy, into NASA. Military funding should be at the top of our list fyi. Get the picture.
14 years ago
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25444 - Karma: 13,856
NSG, what happened to you. Disappoint.
14 years ago
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ski-or-die
Posts: 770 - Karma: 17
i wonder what % of astronauts have been skiers

14 years ago
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Yung_Gnarley
Posts: 9096 - Karma: 3,071
I am saddened by the ending of this era of exploration, but America needs to make sacrifices to help keep our economy afloat.
14 years ago
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21111 - Karma: 8,652
Will They have their supplies teleported to them? I'm confused.
14 years ago
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assface
Posts: 4319 - Karma: 2,031
im over being depressed about how much money our government wastes. however, this is unbelieveable, because so much of our everyday technology has come from space research, and if the obama admin was really trying to "win the future" they would look at the past and see how we excelled there. but instead we are taking funding away from one of the largest government-funded scientific research programs?

obviously it is just the space shuttles, not all of NASA, but it isnt as if we were done up there
14 years ago
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21111 - Karma: 8,652
What if you were rich enough to purchase NASA after this?
14 years ago
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skiblandford
Posts: 1503 - Karma: 2
I think space exploration should be done by the Air Force. Then we can be ready for Halo style space combat
14 years ago
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.KYLE.
Posts: 1891 - Karma: 59
They should of canceled NPR's funding instead. That would clear up at least 60 to 70 billion dollars.
14 years ago
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Milksteak
Posts: 9948 - Karma: 832
I can't believe it.....The final frontier and we're retreating from it. I can't believe we'd rather spend money on our military fighting pointless, endless wars. I hope the space program gets started up again eventually. There's no way we're just giving up on it forever.
14 years ago
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
Change 2008










oh wait...





Anyway, it is pretty sad the shuttle program is ending. 100% badassery (well, save 2 shuttles). At least we can still hitch rides with the soviets to the ISS, and sometime down the line private enterprises will be getting in to space. Oh, and at least there is still serious talk of going to Mars. Not too much benefit in doing that, but taking another step is always stirring.
14 years ago
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pmills
Posts: 7162 - Karma: 59
http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?type=I&mission=MagISStra%20%28Astronaut%20Nespoli%29

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from Phil Plait: "I’d say "Welcome home", but the ground is not a spaceship’s home."

discovery
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endeavor
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It may be the end of the Shuttle, but some say it's time to go back to something simpler

http://www.fastcompany.com/1755194/meet-the-space-shuttle-successor-innovation-from-history

"NASA's revealed plans for manned human spaceflight, centering on the four-seat, conical Orion capsule."

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which will go back to the good old days of the Saturn V

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14 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31080 - Karma: 29,700
Apparently we'll be switching back to rockets, but I don't know how reusable those are compared to a shuttle
14 years ago
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Furrer92
Posts: 784 - Karma: 341
'Merica!
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
it is the last shuttle mission.

Putting people on the moon is not pointless. Even though we've done it successfully in the past, we're still amateurs at it. We barely explored up there, and each mission was nothing routine. The moon is a stepping stone. Saying we should skip it because we've been there is like saying you need to start practicing your cork 12s because you finally can do 180s consistently.

Space exploration is a long haul, not a short hop. The only way you learn how to do it is by doing it slowly.



I've hated the space shuttle program my entire life because the space shuttle is inherently dangerous and is a piece of shit. It was never what it was supposed to be, and it was built in a way that makes it seem as if NASA lost their notebook with all their safety notes from mercury, gemini, and apollo. The most impressive thing that it could do was bring satellites down and back up, which no prior rocket could do. But otherwise, it was pointless. Half the ISS launches took up small parts to be carefully connected. The Saturn V created skylab in....check it, 1 launch. I know skylab was smaller, but still....1 launch, and you've got a workable space station. Impressive. Shame we can't use the Saturn V anymore...Wernher Von Braun was a genius and designed that rocket in such a way that we could still easily use it.



I'm glad we're working on a "new" capsule (which looks suspiciously similar to the canceled orion capsule. And what makes me even more happy is that NASA is working alongside the private sector. NASA is building a capsule that will likely be launched on existing rockets for now, and eventually on more powerful private-built rockets. That's as good as space travel will get. NASA was never good with publicity so hopefully a company will be better.


While it bothers me that we don't have any way of launching people into space from Florida anymore, i find it to be a bit reassuring that they're working on it, and that there was a huge gap between apollo and space shuttle. Going from moon landing to no launches at all must have been the ultimate disappointment.
14 years ago
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pmills
Posts: 7162 - Karma: 59
I think just looking at the pictures of the ISS and realizing that we've now had humans inhabiting space for a 10 contiguous years is a big accomplishment.

I don't really mind that we're drawing down a bit to recharge and redefine where we're going with things. I agree it's strange to have to go to the Ruskies to hitch a ride for now, but i'd rather car-pool with them now that the ISS is pretty much complete, and be free to work on whatever next big project we decide we want to do than to have to juggle both transport to ISS and R&D for lunar/mars missions.
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
it is pretty insane that someone has been orbiting the earth for a decade, even though its obviously not the same person.

I just think the space shuttle's use was severely overestimated.
14 years ago
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freestyler540
Posts: 13238 - Karma: 20,484
I find its sad, but hey Russia will make a comeback. From now on the NASA will be using Soyuz capsules...from the 60's!
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
russia doesn't need to make a comeback. they are the best at what needs to be done.

Getting people into orbit is russia's thing. Getting a ton of stuff up there, and going farther is what we do.
14 years ago
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,510
i won 6 tickets to the launch CLAIM
14 years ago
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DirtyDan
Posts: 1576 - Karma: 158
Space is more important than domestic affairs of our small speck of dust in the universe. We're just space dust. Weird to think about but true.
14 years ago
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snowflexzone
Posts: 200 - Karma: 18
yeah but maybe they could put a ski resort on the moon. and don't even tell me that you wouldn't suck a few dicks to ski on the moon
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
read The Cosmos by Carl Sagan


i literally read just the intro and had to stop because my mind had been wrecked by the idea of infinity.
14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6
what will space ever do for us?  Our military is iimplemented to make sure we don't get killed by other humans,  space is cool and all but the furthest we'll ever get is the moon and there is nothing there.  Mars is simply too far away, theres really no more benefit to exploring it, we can only travel so far...
14 years ago
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highindasky55
Posts: 624 - Karma: 32
Fucking idiot. The military industrial complex is almost single handedly responsible for the fucked up state of our world. Military funding everywhere should be eliminated completely, shooting and throwing bombs at each other here on earth is NOT as important as expanding our species out into the solar system before we're wiped out here.... fucktard
14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6

you're the fucking idiot to even think thats a remote possibility... lets be realistic here.

Hey maybe if president Obama jumps on TV and tells everyone to get rid of their guns we'll have world peace!   GREAT IDEA!

p.s.  we can't get passed the moon, so whats the use trying? 

14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
perhaps you've heard of the viking lander, or the voyager spacecrafts?

We've never bothered trying to send a man past the moon.

I think it says a lot that we decided to go to the moon within 10 years, then completely did it. Shows motivation and a real attempt can be successful. NASA lacks a clear goal, i think they are spreading themselves too thin.
14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6

When mars is closets to earth it would take a normal spacecraft 85 days to get to Mars.... Good luck sitting in a space shuttle for 85 days,  the prolonged amount of time in space would fuck up your body as well..  thats the reason why we've never tried sending someone past the moon.

14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6

sorry I was mistaken ...

About nine months.

Space travel does not use the 'point and shoot' idea. An actual trip to mars must use a 'minimum cost' trajectory that uses the speed of Earth and Mars to best advantage.

You can only begin your trip when Earth and Mars are properly lined up. There is only one launch window every 26 months. After spending 9 months getting to Mars, you must wait 3 to 4 months for the next launch window for the return trip. Total time for a round trip is 21 to 22 months.

But you would not live long enough to take the trip and return.

The present space shuttle cannot carry enough food, water, oxygen and fuel to keep a crew alive that long. Also cosmic rays would take a toll and if they didn't kill you during the trip, you would die soon after from the effects.

A manned trip to Mars has many problems yet to be solved.

14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov spent 437 straight days aboard mir. 85 days is long, but compared with what humans can do...next to nothing.


Stop trying to talk about something you know absolutely nothing about.
14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6
oh my bad i forgot you're an astronaut and have been in space..  I can read just as much about space as you
14 years ago
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9244 - Karma: 5,695
i'm thoroughly disappointed. Space is something that needs to be explored.
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
true, but the difference is that you haven't.
14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6
ok so we can send someone in space for months at a time... and going to mars is beneficial how? Our military is necessary, going to the moon is not. I don't see your argument
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
i wasn't the one saying we need to completely cut military spending, only pointing out your inaccuracies.

expanding outward from earth is essential in the long term.
14 years ago
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FerrisBueller
Posts: 8280 - Karma: 5,175
These claims of us not going to space for a while is false the new horizions project is set to put a man on mars with the atlas 1 rocket by 2020.
14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6
but unrealisitc
14 years ago
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FerrisBueller
Posts: 8280 - Karma: 5,175
its funny how you try to sound so smart and don't think people will catch things, but the universe is expanding from the big bang in all directions, there is no "center" of all existence, or any center of the universe and what you said is just straight false.
14 years ago
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BIGben*
Posts: 1942 - Karma: 8
They brought so much litle things that have made are everyday possble and now: no more...
14 years ago
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hockeyplayer
Posts: 291 - Karma: 6
its pretty funny how people believe in the big bang in the first place. In my opinion the creation theory has a much higher chance of happening than the big bang... but thats just my opinion.
14 years ago
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Proletariat.
Posts: 1797 - Karma: 45
Bring back the Buran!

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14 years ago
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21111 - Karma: 8,652
not really...
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
hahah it would be awesome if they could.

Read somewhere that supposedly the only reason the russians were able to test buran unmanned as opposed to the americans having to send up people in the shuttle the first time was because the American space shuttle had no automatic function for lowering the landing gear. Someone manually had to lower them, so they made a mission of it
14 years ago
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cultrara
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 46,849
must... not... feed... troll...
14 years ago
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Proletariat.
Posts: 1797 - Karma: 45
When Columbia disintegrated in reentry and the shuttle missions were grounded there was rumbling about the US purchasing a couple of Russia's old Burans.
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
i'm pretty sure there's only 1, and it only flew once.

supposedly buran was built like a goddamn tank too. typical russian craftsmanship
14 years ago
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Proletariat.
Posts: 1797 - Karma: 45
Yeah you're right, I just could have sworn hearing there was 3 built.

The thing was meant to haul laser weapons into space, talk about Star Wars come to life (A long time ago in a communist country far far away...)
14 years ago
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Proletariat.
Posts: 1797 - Karma: 45
Actually just quickly reading 3 were in the process of being built, Buran was completed, Pitchka was 80-89-90% complete and apparently a third shuttle was around 50% complete.
14 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
the soviets were going all out building crazy shit in the late 80s
14 years ago
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Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,635
i am very opposed to the amount of money our government spends on the military; so much money is wasted! I am not a fan of the amount of money that our government gives to the space program either. I do not believe that our government should cut ties with the program completely, but we have to stop sending them money, so they can literally burn it up. Sure there have been lots of scientific and technological advancements that have come from the space program, but there has also been a large share of failures. These failures result in billions and billions of dollars down the drain. Because of the benefits that the space program has provided, there is no need to eliminate the program; because of the failed missions and projects, there is logic behind cutting the amount of money that Nasa gets. I believe that the space program needs to work on spending their funds in more efficient ways. For example, instead of wasting money on things that have no relevance to our society, things like researching the gasses in Neptune's atmosphere, they should only research things that present benefit to our society, things like Saturn's moon Titan. My point is, if our government spent more money on social issues, and less money on researching things that are 5 billion kilometers away. We have far to many issues here on earth that need to be solved, before we look to space. If our government started putting money into cancer research, like they do into space research, our treatments for cancer would be far more advance, and we would possibly have found a cure; this would be much more beneficial to society than the space program. If you want to look at it from an economic lens, our government should be investing in alternative energy, not the space program; if you think that NASA has created revenue for the country, imagine what getting off of oil will do? NASA does some good things, but it also wastes a lot of money that isn't their's, and gets in the way of the necessary research that is required to solve the immense amount of social problems in our society.
14 years ago
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