Have Space Shuttle--Will Travel?  

Hi bounce!

This decision also makes me feel a little bereft, as the USA and Russia have always been the forerunners when it came to exploring space--and then the US overtook the Russians for a period of time--and now we actually co-ordinate and co-operate in many endeavors. They will still continue on, as far as I know.

We will also, but in a more limited capacity--at least for a time. I don't feel that we've given up, but we have dumped tons of money into the Space Program for many years and haven't always gotten the results we've been promised.

I don't think the Space Program should be discontinued, not at all. I do think we need to do some re-working and some creative planning in order to make it a more efficient program. I do believe that is NASA's and the governments plan as well, for the future.

Hi Dawn!

It's my understanding that the space station will remain in place, and other countries will still continue use it, as well as the US, but on a smaller time table. There are other countries who are interested in exploring space as well, and I think they intend to use the space station as a lab for teaching and experiments, etc.

There is also another type of transport being planned by us for the future that is more cost-effective. I don't know if it's going to be re-launchable (great idea, btw!) But, I do know they fully intend to pare down costs.

I can't imagine the US as ever being disinterested in space exploration completely, so I doubt the program will be fully scrapped at anytime. But, for now--the costs are more than we can and should bear.

Hi laglen!

I do agree with you also, for the wish of not repeating myself, please see my comments above. :-)

Hi Sue--it's great to see you here!

I think your observation is an excellent one! This may be the path that is being pursued for the future, for all I know. It seems like an intelligent way to get the resources and funding that we all need. Perhaps NASA and other countries' space programs can find ways to co-operate, where we can all benefit.

After all, space, the moon and the universe belong to all of us...

Thanks for your reply! :-)

Hiya Holly,

Great to see you around too. It´s just got me thinking that if all those Intelligent people they have got in every Country doing research could all get together and join forces it would be a case of mutual unity for the good of everyone involved. Who knows what they could do if they were all to put on one side all those "silly objections" that is if they have any and work as one.
They will all surely benefit not only themselves but everyone else in the World too. You are right the Moon, the Sun and the Stars are there for all to see they don´t belong to anyone in particular.
They would be the Heroes of today and of the future Generations and all the work of all those other People who have given so much to start all that up in the first place will never be forgotten either. The Astronauts, the Scientists, the technicians the list is endless.
How can we forget such courageous People? This would surely be a way to get to work right now as a Day over is a Day lost if they don´t do anything about it soon.
Who knows they may even be able to avoid those terrible droughts and floods that are devastating the Planet and so food can grow and feed very hungry People with their technology of now and the future. I am pretty sure that in the future something like this can be so and minimize the effects of the Weather and forces of the Planet we live on. There has to be a whole load of People who would want to give their expertise if asked. Let´s hope they can get together all of them and get going now.

Hi Hairy! Thanks for responding to this older discussion. And it appears that you didn't go along with the consensus either.

You may be completely correct, but I'm curious as to what you think should have been attained by the space program by now?

We have come along way since the inception of the US space program. After all, in approximately 40 years we have gone from having no space program to building a full fleet, a space station, have gone to the moon several times and sent explorations to Mars and some other sites.

The Hubble space telescope has given the world so much information that wouldn't have been possible otherwise--and we now have satellite capability.

There have certainly been problems, high costs and lack of achievement in some areas, but it's never been a program that has been advertised to be problem-free. I don't think I can agree that the entire program should be shut down, but I respect your view just the same.

I am not sure what purpose the space station has served, or will do in the future now that the US has abandoned it.

OK, we have been to the moon and beyond, but what have we learned? Mainly that there is no life in our solar system other than on earth. That is a major disappointment. We have sent out probes like Voyager to look beyond our solar system, but to what aim? The maximum our rockets achieve in terms of speed is around 36,000 mph. What use it that if the nearest galaxy, Andromeda, is 2.5 million light years away. An impossible distance to travel. :(

I would look to the theory of worm holes and threads to move around the universe and not rockets. A time for a rethink, me thinks.....

Respect!