The time has come: leaving the Shuttle Program
Cross posted and adapted from original at the SpaceTweep Society
Note: I am posting this because I want people to see a realistic view of things at NASA, not a sugar-coated version. This is as real as it gets.
Reactions to the new National Space Policy
The National Space Policy is not a plan. I think the rumor-mongering and anticipation leading up to its release yesterday show just how disconnected most of us in the technical world really are from how policy is made and what it actually is. I even saw one person say on Twitter that there was a rumor going around that SpaceX was going to get a sole-source, non-competitive contract for US launches out of it.
The National Space Policy is an outline for the goals, objectives, and guiding principles of all US government activity in space. It is a high-level executive document that is intended to bring together the various disparate elements under a single framework that generally explains the Administration’s thought process. Nothing more, nothing less.
Welcome Home, Expedition 22!
As many of you know, TJ Creamer, Soichi Noguchi, and Oleg Kotov, the Expedition 22 crew, returned home just over a week ago, after a 5.5 month stay onboard the ISS. We’ve all had an amazing time following the training and on-board experiences that they were all gracious enough to share with us through interviews, tweets, and pictures.
Upon the return of each crew (both ISS and Shuttle), the training teams traditionally decorate the hallway of the crewmembers’ building with pictures, quotes, and other decorations, to welcome each crew back home.
Musings, Dreams, Struggle, Hope, Possability
The dreams of space.
Those dreams that I often don’t let myself contemplate, for fear that it will take my attention away from the practical steps that I am focused on now that may enable me to achieve those dreams in the future.
When I am contemplative, I sit back and consider the current plans of those who struggle along side me in Man’s efforts to escape Earth and what is on her.
Tell me a story…
Last night, as I drove down NASA Parkway, I glanced towards the dimly lit buildings littered across the Johnson Space Center (JSC) property. A part of an actual Saturn V lay ahead, just past the silhouetted trees of the Memorial Garden, where the heroes and legends of human spaceflight past are honored for their contributions and sacrifices. My eyes traveled a bit further to the right, where a gleaming American flag stood proud and tall, atop a building that holds tremendous significance for those of us who’ve had even a minute aspiration to contribute to space exploration – the Mission Control Center.
JSC is an interesting amalgamation of new and old, a distinct dichotomy of past and present; where many buildings stand, having weathered decades of political, societal, even meteorological storms. Time and technology’s marks have been left on their interiors, which have endured series of renovations and upgrades.
Astronauts-R-Us Tweetup
STS-132: Social media history for NASA. Two tweetups in one mission — one at the Kennedy Space Center for the launch of Atlantis, the other in at the Johnson Space Center for live mission coverage.
Whew! Busy two weeks.
Our innate duty?
Last week, I had the fortunate privilege of meeting a good number of 150 of human spaceflight & NASA’s biggest supporters and advocates. Nope, they weren’t NASA employees; most weren’t even affiliated with the space industry in any way. They came from all walks of life, from across the United States, and even some from across the pond, to marvel at one of mankind’s greatest technological creations, as it soared into the skies, out of our atmosphere, and into the void we call space.
These folks dropped everything they were doing for 2+ days, to fly, drive, walk, run (OK, maybe I exaggerated on the latter two), to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), where they were given the chance of a lifetime to interact with NASA professionals and see the sites where the US human spaceflight program roared to life. Their stay culminated in the witnessing of a now almost historical event: a space shuttle launch.
How to Make NASA Cool (Again)
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
When I was growing up, asking a classroom full of kids that question almost always included the answer “I want to be an astronaut!” Space was cool. Space was something new, innovative and entrepreneurial. Inspiration was clearly NASA’s main value proposition.
Compare that with today.
“Atlantis, you are go at throttle up…”
A little less than 24 hours ago, I stood and watched six of the most intelligent and genial guys I’ve met get hurtled into and out of our atmosphere, to spend a couple of weeks in the void we’ve so aptly named space. They say third time’s a charm, and after attempting to view two other launches in the past (and failing), I’m glad it never worked out for me before and that this was the winning attempt. There’s some factor of emotion and investment when you know the folks strapped on top of such a dangerous, but beautiful machine. The launch (and the subsequent, on-going mission) has been the culmination of months of preparation for the flight crew and teams. And for me, it was a defining moment, the result of not only months of training and support of the crew, but years of dreams, hopes, prayers, passion, and dedication to the human spaceflight industry. I just couldn’t have asked for a better first experience.
I seem to always go back to this when I talk about my space adventures, but seventeen years ago, sitting in the viewing area of the Shuttle Flight Control Room (FCR), I still remember being in awe of the remarkable technological beauty that lay before me. To me, this was the epicenter of space…of everything I’d read and dreamed about for what, at the time, seemed so long. So, when I finally walked through the gates of Johnson Space Center as an employee, I was giddy with excitement.
Perspective
Cross posted from original at The Space Tweep Society
I frequently get asked what I think about the direction NASA is taking. I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago but didn’t post it at the time. I’m not really sure why. This post does not outline my personal take on what we should be doing with our space program; it just provides a little bit of perspective on things from where I sit.
