After July 2011, Atlantis, the last active space shuttle, will be retired. The United States of America will lose it's ability to send a man into space, and must rely on the Russians or other nations to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. Although some may disagree, I am saddened by this as its a sign of our declining power.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1597182 Jan 16, 2004 â President Bush announces a major recommitment to the U.S. space program. The president calls for establishing a permanent human settlement on the moon and an eventual manned flight to Mars. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061204-moon-base.html December 4, 2006 â NASA plans to construct a solar-powered outpost at one the moon's poles, officials with the U.S. space agency announced today. The lunar base is expected to be permanently staffed by 2024. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3513143...pace/t/obama-budget-ends-return-to-moon-plan/ Jan 28, 2010 â President Barack Obama is essentially grounding efforts to return astronauts to the moon and instead is sending NASA in new directions with roughly $6 billion more, according to officials familiar with the plans. http://www.examiner.com/nasa-in-nat...-effectively-kill-space-program#ixzz1Pz4PbD1E Jan 29, 2010 â NASA, the agency tasked to lead Americaâs aeronautics and space exploration efforts â has just effectively been stripped of the ability to conduct these activities. The Obama administration has decided to use the agency to further its environmental agenda, by transplanting the former space agencyâs responsibilities with those of earth observation and global warming concerns. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7011322.ece February 2, 2010 â Nasa will become âan agency of pipe dreams and fairy talesâ under proposals by President Obama that would kill off plans for returning Man to the Moon, critics said yesterday. Spelling out a controversial new vision for space exploration as part of his $3.8 trillion (£2.4 trillion) budget proposal to Congress yesterday, Mr Obama called for a halt to Constellation, the project that aims to send astronauts back to the Moon by 2020 and has already cost $9 billion. http://story.albuquerqueexpress.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/89d96798a39564bd/id/46238202/ June 20, 2011 â The space shuttle Endeavour lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., May 16, 2011 As crew members of the upcoming NASA space shuttle mission prepare for the final flight of the shuttle program, they say they are inspired by NASA's accomplishments, but also about the retirement of the shuttle fleet and lay-offs among the NASA community.
I am saddened less by the power aspect and more by the loss of that spirit of hope. I grew up with the original Star Trek TV series, and the moon landings were pure magic to me - a shining beacon of what lay ahead. The shuttle was another milestone, the first reusable spacecraft. Alas, things have stagnated since and I fear the best has passed for my lifetime at least. Truly sad.
Man was never on the moon. That was all done in a studio to fool the American (and world) populace. j/k - that was for the tin-hat crowd.
moon is nothing....there is a bunch of asteroids flying around made from gold and platinum. imo- it would be "super cool true american way" to get that gold(since we have nothing left in reserves anyway)
You better get in tune with the REAL nasa............... http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Mission-History-Enlarged-Revised/dp/1932595481/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b
NASA was definitely on the moon, but they did stage and use altered photos/film for portions of what was "presented" to the public........can't be showing the public EVERYTHING they were investigating on the moon. http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Mission-History-Enlarged-Revised/dp/1932595481/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b