Comments on: Let’s Talk about the Space Shuttle and more http://rocketscientist.today.com/2008/08/29/lets-talk-about-the-space-shuttle-and-more/ Melding fiction and science in life and on paper Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:17:26 +0000 http://www.today.com/version-2.3.1 By: stephanieebarr http://rocketscientist.today.com/2008/08/29/lets-talk-about-the-space-shuttle-and-more/#comment-11 stephanieebarr Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:57:42 +0000 http://rocketscientist.today.com/2008/08/29/lets-talk-about-the-space-shuttle-and-more/#comment-11 Kathleen, another comment worthy of its own blog post. Which I will do after the Baron's. Or with the Baron's The quick and dirty answers are, Hubble will not be serviced after this next mission (though this had always been intended as the last service) and there will be another telescope launching within the next decade. ISS is stickier. Although the Japanese (H=II Transfer Vehicle)and Europeans (Automated Transfer Vehicle) both have vehicles either in work or launched and Russian's workhorses, Soyuz and Progress, are still working. Were working on crew and cargo vehicles, too, but the truth is, nothing can do what the Shuttle can do. In the end, the Shuttle retirement signals the end of "building" the ISS. Kathleen, another comment worthy of its own blog post. Which I will do after the Baron’s. Or with the Baron’s

The quick and dirty answers are, Hubble will not be serviced after this next mission (though this had always been intended as the last service) and there will be another telescope launching within the next decade.

ISS is stickier. Although the Japanese (H=II Transfer Vehicle)and Europeans (Automated Transfer Vehicle) both have vehicles either in work or launched and Russian’s workhorses, Soyuz and Progress, are still working. Were working on crew and cargo vehicles, too, but the truth is, nothing can do what the Shuttle can do.

In the end, the Shuttle retirement signals the end of “building” the ISS.

]]> By: Kathleen L. http://rocketscientist.today.com/2008/08/29/lets-talk-about-the-space-shuttle-and-more/#comment-10 Kathleen L. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:57:34 +0000 http://rocketscientist.today.com/2008/08/29/lets-talk-about-the-space-shuttle-and-more/#comment-10 I am leaving bread crumbs here and there. I thought I'd commented on your 'About me' page but it disappeared... unless there's a lag time for comment posting. How do they propose to do the upkeep on the Hubble or the Space station if they retire the shuttle program? Or are they planning on scuttling the whole space program? Is this a GWB decision or has it been a long time coming i.e. more than 8 year plan... I am leaving bread crumbs here and there. I thought I’d commented on your ‘About me’ page but it disappeared… unless there’s a lag time for comment posting.
How do they propose to do the upkeep on the Hubble or the Space station if they retire the shuttle program? Or are they planning on scuttling the whole space program? Is this a GWB decision or has it been a long time coming i.e. more than 8 year plan…

]]> By: stephanieebarr http://rocketscientist.today.com/2008/08/29/lets-talk-about-the-space-shuttle-and-more/#comment-8 stephanieebarr Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:41:18 +0000 http://rocketscientist.today.com/2008/08/29/lets-talk-about-the-space-shuttle-and-more/#comment-8 It's actually easy to be confused. The Shuttle is the first reusable space vehicle anyone has. All the manned spacecraft prior were expendables, in that most of the components were shed along the way and what returned was generally sent to museums or fodder for lessons learned. Even today, the Russians, with one of the most used rockets ever and a very impressive launch record, use expendables, though the salvage bits and pieces from the returned Soyuz capsules. This comment almost turned into a big Space Shuttle primer when I realized I should probably just post a new blog about it. The Shuttle is different from anything before or since. In fact, I might just talk about it all this week. My thirteen year old daughter has impressed on me that many people really know very little about the space program and that's a fault on our part for not talking about it more. Thanks for your comment, Baron :) It’s actually easy to be confused. The Shuttle is the first reusable space vehicle anyone has. All the manned spacecraft prior were expendables, in that most of the components were shed along the way and what returned was generally sent to museums or fodder for lessons learned. Even today, the Russians, with one of the most used rockets ever and a very impressive launch record, use expendables, though the salvage bits and pieces from the returned Soyuz capsules.

This comment almost turned into a big Space Shuttle primer when I realized I should probably just post a new blog about it. The Shuttle is different from anything before or since. In fact, I might just talk about it all this week.

My thirteen year old daughter has impressed on me that many people really know very little about the space program and that’s a fault on our part for not talking about it more.

Thanks for your comment, Baron :)

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