Space Shuttle Era Ends: "It's On to the Next Adventure"

"Atlantis Makes Final Landing, Ending 30-Year Shuttle Program"
FoxNews.com (July 21, 2011)

"After decades of inspiring millions around the globe, space shuttle Atlantis made a final, picture-perfect touchdown at Kennedy Space Center at 5:56 a.m. EDT -- ending the shuttle program.

" 'Job well done, America,' mission control told pilot Doug Hurley and the thousands watching and listening to the landing in the pre-dawn dark.

"There was a clear sense of nostalgia on the part of both crew and staff at Kennedy Space Center, as the ship made its final arrival safe and sound.

" 'Having fired the imaginations of a generation, a ship like no other, its place in history secured, the space shuttle pulls into port for the last time -- its voyage at an end,' reported mission control.

" 'Mission complete, Houston,' Hurley responded. 'After serving the world for over 30 years, the space shuttle has earned its place in history. Atlantis has come to a final stop.'

" 'It's been 30 great years for the Space Shuttle program,' said Bill Nye, executive director of the Planetary Society, in a statement on the landing. 'With this venerable space vehicle retired, it's on to the next adventure.'..."

The Lemming indulged in a little nostalgia - including taking a look at a 360-degree interactive picture of Mission Control on NASA's Space Shuttle Multimedia page. That room has changed - a little - since the '60s. Each station's screens are a lot more colorful, rows of mission emblems are on the wall, and the folks at each station don't all look quite so much alike: signs left by three decades of rapid change.

It's been an exciting ride, in many ways.

Now What?

(from NASA, used w/o permission)
"Space shuttle Atlantis lands for the final time at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls"

Americans with travel plans in low Earth orbit and beyond are in for an awkward transition, in the Lemming's opinion. NASA's extended their contract with the Russian space program, so we've got reservations on Soyuz vehicles through June 30, 2016. (NASA press release (March 14, 2011)) That takes care of basic transportation needs for folks working shifts at the International Space Station - but that's about that.

Considering how shaky the Federal government's finances are - the Lemming thinks it's probably good sense for the feds to let someone else get the job done, when it comes to routine freight and passenger runs.

On the other hand, the Lemming compared one of of NASA's high-profile missions with what advertisers spent on Super Bowl commercials - and what Congress does with our money. And that's another topic.

Meanwhile, quite a few folks have been developing their own spaceships. Some, like Virgin Galactic, with a great deal of publicity. Others, like Blue Origin's New Shepard program, very quietly indeed.



It's not just American companies that have their eyes on Earth orbit and beyond. There's Skylon, the Reaction Engines Ltd. spaceplane; and Japan's H-2 Transfer Vehicle 1.

Building spaceships isn't the only way to be involved with the next few decades in space. Bigelow Aerospace is focusing on developing rental properties in Earth orbit.

The Space Shuttles are headed for museums and history textbooks - after hauling freight and people to what's arguably the first construction site in space: the International Space Station. The ISS is just about finished now, so we probably won't need the sort of freight-car cargo capacity that the Shuttle offered. Not right away.

A few years down the road, we could be seeing everything from flying gumdrops to hypersonic waveriders carrying cargo and passengers to and from whatever joins the ISS in orbit.

Like the fellow said, "It's on to the next adventure"

What's next?

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Space Shuttle: Three Decades of Flights; and Looking from Silbervogel to the Stars"
  (July 13, 2011)
• "Atlantis: 'Inspirational,' the Last of Its Kind (and what's next)"
  (July 8, 2011)
• "Endeavor's Last Flight, Orbital Hotels, and Spaceports"
  (June 1, 2011)
• "McDonnell Douglas Delta Clipper: First Single-Stage-to-Orbit Freighter - Almost"
  (July 13, 2011)
• "Major Leagues, Minor Leagues, and the Hanseatic League"
  (April 29, 2011)

More, on the NASA website:

• Space Shuttle
  (www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/)
• Space Shuttle Multimedia
• International Space Station (ISS) "Ground Facilities"

Space Shuttle: Three Decades of Flights; and Looking from Silbervogel to the Stars

"How the Space Shuttle Was Born"
Mike Wall, Space.com (June 28, 2011)


(NASA, via Space.com, used w/o permission)

"The last-ever space shuttle launch — that of Atlantis, scheduled for July 8 — will come just over three decades after the first one, which took place April 12, 1981.

"But that's not to say NASA's iconic shuttle program just turned 30 years old. It's actually pushing 40, since President Richard Nixon officially announced its existence in January 1972. And the shuttle's roots go much deeper than that, stretching all the way back to a 1930s concept vehicle the Nazis hoped could drop bombs on New York City.

"The story of the shuttle's birth is one of big dreams and slashed budgets, of shifting visions, of NASA and the nation's attempt to find their way in space after beating the Soviets to the moon in 1969. Here is a synopsis of that long, involved tale. [NASA's Space Shuttle Program in Pictures]

"Roots: The Silbervogel

"In the late 1930s, the Nazis initiated the 'Amerika Bomber' project, an effort to build an aircraft capable of taking off from Germany and dropping a bomb on the continental United States.

"Various engineers, including a man named Eugen Sanger, submitted proposals. Sanger's idea, developed with the mathematician Irene Bredt, was a type of winged rocket called the Silbervogel (German for 'silver bird').

"The reusable Silbervogel would ascend to suborbital space, then drop down into the stratosphere. At that point, the increasing air density would give the vehicle lift, bouncing it to a higher altitude again. The process would repeat, with the Silbervogel making the trip across the Atlantic in a series of leaps and bounds...."

That sort of transatlantic roller coaster isn't likely to ever be used for passenger service - but it's got possibilities as a freight carrier. Provided there's a high demand for ultra-fast transcontinental package delivery.

The article traces the Space Shuttle's development, through the X-15 rocket plane that flew, the X-20 Dyna-Soar that didn't, the Apollo program that skipped over steps we're taking now, with the International Space Station (ISS).

Or, rather, that NASA and the American government would be taking, if the Beltway folks hadn't run up a mind-boggling debt. Which reminds the Lemming of college kids with credit cards and indulgent parents - and that's almost another topic. (May 16, 2011)

'When It's Time to Build Spaceships - - - '

Right now, if the American Congress decides that developing better ways to get people and cargo to Earth orbit: It'll make a difference.

Sort of.

If Congress also decides to stay out of the way of folks who run outfits like Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America, SpaceX, and Blue Origin: America will probably be one of the countries with commercial properties in orbit - and beyond. Which will present a dilemma of sorts for Ivy League universities: They'll have to consider whether to have an expedition outfitter with a local office handle their science projects; or impress folks by outsourcing to France. Or maybe India. There seems to be a sort of prestige involved with going to another country - to get what's available down the street.

On the other hand, if Congress decides to 'protect' 'the Masses' from big, dangerous spaceship and the reckless people who build them - well, Japan has a quite active space program, so do India, China, and quite a few other nations.

Someone may even have the nerve to let private sector firms develop transport systems - that work reliably, safely, on-schedule, and on-budget.

The Lemming's been over this before:

• "When it's Time to Build Spaceships, People Will Build Spaceships"
  (October 4, 2009)

This is the Apathetic Lemming?!

In case you're wondering about the Lemming's name? Check out "About the Lemming."

What's Next?

You can buy tickets for suborbital flights right now - although Virgin Galactic hasn't brought its tourist service out of development yet. Other firms are concentrating on less glamorous freight and passenger service to the ISS. And rental properties like the ones Bigelow Aerospace is developing.

The Lemming doesn't expect anything with quite the 'wow factor' of the Apollo project. Not any time soon. International politics don't seem right for something like the 'Moon Race.'

Still - the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and NASA have been discussing starship design. (PCMag.com (October 30, 2010)) It's not exactly "Star Trek" stuff - physicists are still wrangling over warp drive theory (June 12, 2009) - but the Lemming thinks we're closer to having a working interstellar probe now, than we were to having people on the Moon in 1955. (December 12, 2010, May 9, 2010)

And, for all the Lemming knows, somebody may have worked the bugs out of Alcubierre's theory.

Meanwhile, Blue Origin and SpaceX are building flying gumdrops that promise to offer practical ferry service to and from orbit.

Related posts:

• "Atlantis: "Inspirational," the Last of Its Kind (and what's next)"
  (July 8, 2011)
• "Endeavor's Last Flight, Orbital Hotels, and Spaceports"
  (June 1, 2011)
• "Last Trip for Space Shuttle Endeavour; and Reaching for the Stars"
  (May 16, 2011)
• "Major Leagues, Minor Leagues, and the Hanseatic League"
  (April 29, 2011)
• "Space Shuttle Infographic: From Steering Thrusters to Rudder/Speed Brake"
  (January 31, 2011)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Atlantis: "Inspirational," the Last of Its Kind (and what's next)

The last Space Shuttle launch happened this morning.

"Minute by minute: Atlantis shuttle lifts off for final time"
CNN (July 8, 2011)

"Editor's Note: Atlantis' journey to the International Space Station will be NASA's 135th and final mission in the space shuttle program, which began 30 years ago. ..."

"...[Updated at 1:36 p.m.] Astronaut Julie Payette, a Canadian flight engineer who flew two shuttle missions told CNN: 'I feel good about it being a grand finale for an extraordinarily successful program.'

" 'This program has inspired so many people,' she said. 'It is very inspirational when we do things on the edge and this is one of the edges that's hard to reach.'..."

The Lemming feels pretty good about Atlantis reaching orbit, too. Space Shuttles have been making freight runs for decades now. These reusable spaceships got their job done - ferrying components, supplies, and crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

The Space Shuttle - an Infographic

"NASA's Space Shuttle – From Top to Bottom"
Karl Tate, Space.com (July 7, 2011)


(from Karl Tate, Space.com, used w/o permission)
Source Space.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

The original, at Space.com, is a little larger than this copy. The Lemming copied and resampled Karl Tate's infographic so that it would fit in this blog's format.

After Atlantis, What?

(from NASA, via Space.com, used w/o permission) (reduced and cropped)

For whatever reason, NASA doesn't have a replacement for the Shuttle fleet ready. Maybe Congress decided that there were more important things to spend the Lemming's taxes on.¹

This is almost certainly not 'the end' for spaceflight. The ISS is still in orbit: and the American government is paying for the occasional ride up there, via Russian space services.

Meanwhile, outfits like Space-X and Blue Origin are developing Earth-to-low-orbit transportation systems. Vehicles like the Dragon and Goddard aren't quite ready for commercial service: but maybe that's just as well.

Construction hasn't been finished at some of the spaceports that will handle this century's outbound traffic.

And that's a topic for another post.

Related posts:

• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Spaceport America: More Progress"
  (January 29, 2010)
• "Humanity in Space: Looking at the Big Picture"
  (January 29, 2010)
• "America's Seventh Spaceport"
  (January 19, 2010)
• "When it's Time to Build Spaceships, People Will Build Spaceships"
  (October 4, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Background:

• "How the Space Shuttle Was Born"
  Mike Wall, Space.com, via Foxnews.com (June 30, 2011)

---

¹ "They do nothing, we pay them to spend our money." "CONGRESS!!"

Something like that exchange was in a television ad for a game, years ago. The Lemming acknowledges that the United States Congress is probably doing a better job of leadership than one might expect from an equal number of lava lamps.

America's federal debt is so high, that Congress is talking about discussing solutions. Some members are actually coming up with ideas that might work. That's a start. Minnesota's government closed down most services this month - and that's another topic.

As for the NASA budget? It's a significant fraction of the total Federal budget, in the sense that it's a measurable non-zero number. As for how much America spends - willingly or not - the Lemming's been over that before:

Who spends	How much
Federal Government	$3,720,700,000,000 (2010)
NASA's Discovery program	$425,000,000 (total)
Super Bowl advertisers	$205,200,000 (2010)

(May 10, 2011)

More about budgets and common sense:

• "Asteroid Misses Earth, Good News; It's Not Unique, Not-So-Good News"
  (June 29, 2011)
• "Ray Guns, Electric Cannons, and the Mind of the Lemming"
  (June 20, 2011)
• "Sailing the Seas of Titan, and Super Bowl Couch Potatoes"
  (May 10, 2011)
• "Why Your Boss Doesn't Understand the Information Age"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (August 9, 2010)

Endeavor's Last Flight, Orbital Hotels, and Spaceports

"Shuttle Endeavour's Space Finale an 'Incredible' Trip, Astronauts Say"
Denise Chow, Space.com (June 1, 2011)

"...mission specialists Mike...Fincke, a veteran spaceflyer, set a new record for the number of days spent in space by a U.S. astronaut during Endeavour's STS-134 mission. Endeavour's final flight was his first aboard one of NASA's space shuttles. Previously, Fincke served two long duration stints onboard the International Space Station, both times launching to the station on a Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft.

"Having the opportunity to fly a shuttle mission, particularly one of the last missions of the program, was a dream come true, he said.

" 'Getting a chance to fly on the space shuttle was a dream of mine, and I couldn't have asked to do it with a better group of guys here on our crew, and couldn't have asked for a better ground support team,' Fincke said. 'It was everything I dreamed of when I was that 8- or 9-year-old that wanted to fly on this new space shuttle thing. It wasn't even built yet – it was still in planning.'

" 'That's all I wanted to do,' he said. 'I made a t-shirt with the space shuttle on it with markers because they weren't out in stores yet. I still have that t-shirt, and you know, childhood dreams don't always come true, and sometimes your life comes in, but man, this dream – the reality was better than the dream. I mean, can you believe that? It was so incredible. We just landed a few hours ago and I'm still just basking in it. I can't believe, that was so surreal how wonderful that was.'

"NASA has one more shuttle mission planned – the STS-135 flight of Atlantis in July – before the program is officially retired. The three working orbiters, plus the test vehicle Enterprise, will then begin the next phase of their lives on display at museums around the country."

Quite a lot has happened in the last half-century. Space technology has gone from a basketball-size satellite in 1957, to the orbital parts of the GPS system, communications and weather satellites, the International Space Station, and robot spaceships exploring the planets and moons of the Solar system.

The Lemming is glad that at least some of the Shuttle fleet will go into museums, to show that part of our history. It would have been nice if we were looking forward to a smoother transition, with new reusable freight and passenger vehicles rolling off assembly lines somewhere.

Still, the International Space Station and its crew has a set of other supply systems to keep them going in the short run.

A little further down the road, outfits like Virgin Galactic is taking bookings for its first suborbital tourist flights. Galactic Suites may not meet its 2012 deadline for opening. Actually, the Lemming's browser couldn't find a server at their URL - which doesn't look good for anyone who invested in the project.

Bigelow Aerospace is still with us, though: and Bristol Aerospace has been around longer than the Lemming.

The half-dozen or so spaceports operating on this continent aren't likely to shut down any time soon, in the Lemming's opinion. Provided that the folks in Washington don't decide to regulate them into oblivion - and that's another topic, probably for another blog.

Related posts:

• "Last Trip for Space Shuttle Endeavour; and Reaching for the Stars"
  (May 16, 2011)
• "Major Leagues, Minor Leagues, and the Hanseatic League"
  (April 29, 2011)
• "Hyperbole, Business, and a Spaceship Factory"
  (November 19, 2010)
• "Space Shuttle Endeavour's Night Launch"
  (November 14, 2008)
• "Science and Sentiment: The Latest Shuttle Mission"
  (March 27, 2008)

Last Trip for Space Shuttle Endeavour; and Reaching for the Stars

"NASA Launches Space Shuttle Endeavour on Final Voyage"
Clara Moskowitz, Space.com (May 16, 2011)

"The space shuttle Endeavour, the youngest orbiter in NASA's fleet, soared into the morning sky Monday to begin the final mission of its 19-year career.

"Endeavour blazed a path through the sky here at the Kennedy Space Center at 8:56 a.m. EDT (1256 GMT), lifting off from the seaside Launch Pad 39A.

" 'It was a fantastic launch, a really great day for us,' shuttle mission management team chair Mike Moses said after the launch. 'We're happy to be in orbit.'

"The shuttle and its six-man crew are bound for the International Space Station, where they will spend 16 days delivering spare supplies and an ambitious astrophysics experiment. [Photos: Shuttle Endeavour's Final Mission]

" 'Looks like a great day to launch Endeavour for the final time,' launch director Mike Leinbach told the crew as the minutes and seconds ticked down to liftoff. 'On behalf of thousands of proud Americans who've been part of the journey, good luck, godspeed, see you back here on June 1.'..."


(NASA, used w/o permission)
"...Space shuttle Endeavour launches on the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA"

Space Shuttle Mission STS-134 is off to a good start.

Part of the article is a sort of human-interest section, mentioning Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, whose husband is on this mission; and Apollo 11 crew member Mike Collins. Also miscellaneous members of Congress and foreign dignitaries.

Of more interest to the Lemming, Endeavour's cargo includes the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) particle detector. It's designed to detect cosmic rays - the sort that don't get through Earth's atmosphere. That should open a new window for astronomers: and may shed 'light' on just what dark matter is. Assuming that dark matter isn't a contemporary equivalent of phlogiston. And that's another topic.

Then there's supplies for the International Space Station (ISS). That bit of inventory isn't quite so exciting: "a new tank of ammonia coolant, equipment for the station's Dextre robot, and spare parts for the laboratory's antenna communications system." It's sort of like furnace filters: routine; nothing to brag about; but vitally important.

Wait a minute: "equipment for the station's Dextre robot" was in that list of supplies. Between ammonia coolant and spare parts for an antenna. We've come a long way, since Apollo 11.

"Reach for the Stars"

The article repeats what Endeavour's commander Mark Kelly said before leaving:

"...'As Americans, we endeavor to build a better life than the generation before and we endeavor to be a united nation,' Kelly said in the final moments at the launch pad. 'In these efforts we are often tested. It is in the DNA of our great country to reach for the stars and explore. We must not stop.'..."

The Lemming is inclined to agree with Endeavour commander Kelly on that point: that "we must not stop" reaching for the stars. Not that the Lemming expects to be around when folks do reach the stars.

The Lemming lives in the United States, and won't do the conventional agonized writhing about America's failings, real and otherwise. You've heard it all before, anyway.

It's not just America that's reaching for the stars. Yes, this country has a half-dozen or so spaceports - so far. But other nations already have break-in-bulk points for outward-bound material - and more are on the way. There's a growing list of active national space programs.

Remember: Endeavour is making a cargo run to the International Space Station.

The Lemming won't make an impassioned plea to maintain the NASA budget - although it looks like the feds are spending money on a whole lot more than reusable spaceships and missions to Titan. (May 10, 2011)

The Space Shuttle program has demonstrated that semi-regular cargo and passenger runs can be made to and from low Earth orbit. Even with a massive federal program running the show. That's been, in the Lemming's opinion, a remarkable achievement.

But government programs aren't the only way to get things done. (October 4, 2009)

It's the Lemming's opinion that commercial operations - where folks have an incentive to get something done on time and on budget - will soon become major players in transportation and support services. For the first few hundred miles out from Earth, anyway.

Think commercial satellites: which are probably involved in any television you watch today. Even if you don't use a satellite service. Cable television providers get their signals from somewhere, you know - and that's yet another topic.

'This Space for Rent'

The Lemming remembers watching a terribly serious thinker sputtering after the Russian space program launched a satellite.

His problem wasn't that the Russians had practical launch vehicles. He seemed offended because those people had put an advertisement on the rocket. Imagine!! That was an affront to science, apparently.

The Lemming's understanding of the situation was that the Russian space program was short on funds - and sold advertising space on their launch vehicle to help cover expenses. Which, to the Lemming, made sense.

Maybe it would be nice if exploration of space could be a 'pure' pursuit: an occupation of gentlemen; unsullied by mere commercial concerns.

The Lemming doesn't think that's how it's going to happen.

Common Sense, Safety, and Leaving the 19th Century

One objection the Lemming has run into, when the idea of commercial operations in space comes up, is safety. It's a legitimate concern. There's a lot that can go wrong, and that occasionally has.

But this isn't the 19th century.

Thomas Nast's wicked plutocrats aren't, in the Lemming's opinion, typical entrepreneurs these days.

As for safety?

There was appalling disregard, something like a century back, for working conditions and product quality. This was partly responsible for the occasionally-irrational regulations American companies and consumers have to put up with - again in the Lemming's opinion. Some regulations do make sense - the Lemming's opinion again: and that's yet again another topic.

Of course, occasionally you'll run into a daft executive or manager who doesn't know that it's bad business to poison the customers, waste money, or both. (November 22, 2010, September 9, 2010,

That sort of self-destructive behavior seems to be self-correcting, except where the feds bail out losers. Still another topic. Topics. (December 12, 2008)

When it's Time to Build Spaceships - - -

Outfits like Bigelow Aerospace and Starchaser Industries, Ltd. are jockeying for position to put rental property in orbit - and provide ferry service for the research labs, factories, and resort hotels that'll probably be there before most of you have grandchildren.

That's exciting. But - yet once more - that's the Lemming's opinion.

Related posts:

• "Major Leagues, Minor Leagues, and the Hanseatic League"
  (April 29, 2011)
• "Four Ships Docked at the ISS"
  (February 28, 2011)
• "Last Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: More of a Beginning, Than an End"
  (May 14, 2010)
• "Another 'Last' for the Space Shuttle Fleet"
  (April 6, 2010)
• "When it's Time to Build Spaceships, People Will Build Spaceships"
  (October 4, 2009)

More:

• "Endeavour"
  NASA Orbiter Fleet, Kennedy Space Center, NASA
• "Latest Space Shuttle News"
  Space Shuttle, Missions, NASA

Major Leagues, Minor Leagues, and the Hanseatic League

"Scientists Itching for Suborbital Space Research"
Denise Chow, SPACE.com (April 28, 2011)

"When private companies like Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace start regularly flying passengers to the edge of space, thrill seekers and space fanatics won't be the only ones standing in line.

"The commercial spaceflight industry's potential to provide frequent and relatively inexpensive trips to the upper reaches of the atmosphere could revolutionize the science and research community. And even with the suborbital vehicles still in their testing phase, at least one institution is already onboard.

" 'We're a bit ahead of the curve,' Alan Stern, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., told SPACE.com. 'We've gone out - not even waited for taxpayer dollars. We're almost ready to fly. The vehicles aren't quite ready, but the experiments are pretty much built and ready to fly....

"...Performing experiments on private suborbital and orbital flights could also bridge a crucial research gap between Earth and the International Space Station, the massive laboratory that orbits 220 miles (354 kilometers) above our planet. Stern likened the space station to baseball's major leagues, with commercial flights akin to the minor leagues...."

The Lemming remembers the 'good old days' when moon rockets were built and launched from what's now Space Shuttle launch complex. There's a little nostalgia to be indulged in these days, as the last Shuttles ferry cargo and people to and from the International Space Station.

Mostly, though, the Lemming's looking forward to what Virgin Galactic, XCOR Aerospace, and Beal Aerospace have been doing.

Beal Aerospace? You probably won't hear too much about that company. Beal Aerospace didn't quite make it as a commercial venture. It's the Lemming's opinion that some other aerospace startups won't be around a decade or so from now. Which isn't too surprising. The Alena Steam Car isn't with us any more. Neither is the Columbia Electric Car Company of Detoit. Studebakers are still around, thanks to hobbyists, but the company hasn't been around for decades.

That seems to be the way it goes with new technologies: many folks think they can run a profitable business by applying the new processes; some turn out to be correct in their assumptions; and the tech gets used.

The Lemming expected to be writing about the Space Shuttle today, but weather happened: "NASA Postpones Space Shuttle Endeavour Launch at Least 72 Hours," Foxnews.com (April 29, 2011)

Does the Lemming think that the end of the Space Shuttle program means the end of people going into space? At least for Americans?

Not hardly.

We may be near the end of the era where a huge federal bureaucracy runs a moderately-successful freight and passenger service for scientists.

But, after taking at how many entrepreneurs are getting ready to take over the low-Earth-orbit transit services, the Lemming seriously doubts that we're looking at a serious lack of options.

As for whether or not it takes a government program to get large-scale tasks done? The Lemming offers two words: Hanseatic League.

Related posts:

• "Four Ships Docked at the ISS"
  (February 28, 2011)
• "Space Shuttle Infographic: From Steering Thrusters to Rudder/Speed Brake"
  (January 31, 2011)
• "Last Discovery Launch Scheduled - Again"
  (January 29, 2011)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Goodbye Shuttle, Hello Falcon"
  (February 20, 2010)

Background:

• Blue Origin
• Commercial Spaceflight Federation
• Hanseatic League
• Mastern Space Systems
• SpaceX
• Starchaser Industries
• Virgin Galactic
• XCOR Aerospace

Two Days Until Last Endeavour Shuttle Launch

"NASA Clears Space Shuttle Endeavour for One Last Launch"
Clara Moskowitz, Space.com (April 27, 2011)

"The space shuttle Endeavour is officially 'go' to launch on its 25th and last spaceflight this Friday (April 29), with NASA expecting record crowds and visit from President Barack Obama to watch the spectacle.

"NASA mission managers cleared Endeavour for launch this morning after meeting to review any concerns...."

As the Lemming's opined before, this isn't so much an end - as a beginning. The Space Shuttle fleet has done a good job of helping get the International Space Station built, and demonstrating that (fairly) regular ferry service to low Earth orbit is possible.

The Lemming will probably indulge in a little nostalgia this Friday. But that's about what's been done. There are more than a half-dozen spaceports in this country, many more around the world today. With folks like Richard Branson developing ways to make use of rapidly-developing technologies, the Lemming thinks that 'the sky's the limit' - - - and that the sky's gotten a whole lot farther away.

Related posts:

• "Space Shuttle Discovery: 27 Years, Last Flight Done"
  (March 9, 2011)
• "Four Ships Docked at the ISS"
  (February 28, 2011)
• "Space Shuttle Infographic: From Steering Thrusters to Rudder/Speed Brake"
  (January 31, 2011)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: Aerial Snapshot"
  (June 26, 2010)

More:

• "Endeavour"
  NASA Orbiter Fleet, NASA
• "Endeavour Tribute"
  NASA
  Printable image:
  • Full Size (3,000px × 2,400px)
  • 1600 x 1200
  • 1024 x 768›800 x 600

Space Shuttle Discovery: 27 Years, Last Flight Done

"Touchdown! Shuttle Discovery Lands at Kennedy, Completes Final Mission"
FoxNews.com (March 9, 2011)

"Space shuttle Discovery touched down safely at Kennedy Space Center at 11:58 a.m., completing its 27-year spaceflight career and its final mission into space.

"After the landing, the runway will be marked to show where Discovery's mission finally ended -- a mark that caps a prolific career, which saw 39 flights in 27 years. Next stop for the orbiter will be retirement from service -- the shuttle will eventually be placed on public display in a museum.

"The cheers from the crowd were audible all the way up in the air traffic control tower, NASA wrote on its landing blog.

" 'I think the legacy that she leaves behind is quite incredible,' shuttle astronaut Michael Barratt said of Discovery, adding that the spacecraft has been 'space-kindly' to its crews, largely due to the team of engineers that maintains the ship. 'Even though it's the last time, we really do look forward to bringing her back to her home port and back into those caring hands.'..."

Discovery is the oldest of the Space Shuttle Fleet, and was flown the most often. This was its 39th mission. Two more Shuttle missions are planned: Endeavour in April, and Atlantis in June. Each is a service run to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Lemming remembers Sputnik, the Apollo program, and the first Shuttle missions. Quite a lot has changed in that half-century or so, quite a bit of it connected with 'space' technology. Weather satellites - and powerful computers - have helped turn weather forecasting from a sort of guessing game into pretty good predictions for the next 24 hours - and even after that, it's pretty good out to about five days.

Communications satellites, the GPS system, and more information technology, help folks figure out where they are - and this post is going to turn into a discussion of the Information Age if the Lemming isn't careful.

Related posts:

• "Four Ships Docked at the ISS"
  (February 28, 2011)
• "Space Shuttle Discovery, Names, James Cook, and a Little History"
  (February 21, 2011)
• "Space Shuttle Infographic: From Steering Thrusters to Rudder/Speed Brake"
  (January 31, 2011)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Last Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: More of a Beginning, Than an End"
  (May 14, 2010)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Four Ships Docked at the ISS

"A Space First: Spaceships From 4 Different Fleets Linked Together"
Denise Chow, Space.com (February 26, 2011)

"When NASA's shuttle Discovery arrived at the International Space Station Saturday (Feb. 26), it made some space history: It marked the first time ever that spaceships from four different space agencies were docked together at the same time.

"The historic moment occurred at 2:16 p.m. EST (1916 GMT), when Discovery arrived at a docking port on NASA's Harmony module, a multi-port hub on the space station. The shuttle joined two Russian Soyuz space capsules and three robotic space freighters (from Europe, Japan and Russia) that were also docked to the orbiting lab.

" 'That that's about as many different visiting vehicles as you can imagine,' Discovery astronaut Alvin Drew radioed Mission Control in Houston before the docking...."


(NASA TV, via Space.com, used w/o permission)
"NASA's space shuttle Discovery is shown docked to the International Space Station shortly after arriving on Feb. 26, 2011. The gold spacecraft at the bottom of this view is Japan's HTV-2 spacecraft. CREDIT: NASA TV"

HTV-2 is a robot, by the way. This is definitely not the Lemming's 'good old days,' when robots in 'the future' were generally imagined as looking a bit like Star Wars' C3PO - and many assumed that space flight needed the human touch for all but the simplest missions.

Today, we've got over a half-dozen spaceports here in America, many more around the world, and at least one commercial outfit getting ready to offer rental property in orbit. And quite a number of next-generation freighters either in service or on the drawing boards.

Speaking of C3PO, there's the humanoid (well, half-humanoid) robot that Discovery delivered on this run. Not as bright as the Star Wars character, and that's another topic.

Related posts:

• "SpaceX's Dragon: Getting Closer to Commercial Service"
  (December 8, 2010)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Boeing CST-100 Spaceship: Passenger Service to ISS, Commercial Space Stations"
  (July 21, 2010)
• "Humanity in Space: Looking at the Big Picture"
  (January 29, 2010)
• "A Freighter Unloads its Cargo: What's the Big Deal?"
  (September 20, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Space Shuttle Discovery, Names, James Cook, and a Little History

"How Did the Space Shuttle Discovery Get Its Name?"
Denise Chow, Space.com (February 21, 2011)

"Twenty-six years after its maiden flight, NASA's space shuttle Discovery towers majestically over the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center here, just days away from embarking on its final spaceflight to the International Space Station.

"Discovery, the oldest of NASA's space shuttles still in operation, is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 to deliver a new storage room, humanoid robot helper and critical supplies to the space station. The orbiter has made more spaceflights than any other in the agency's fleet, and over the course of its illustrious history, its name has become synonymous with the spirit of exploration and human spaceflight.

"So, where did the shuttle's designation come from?

"Discovery was partly named after one of two vessels used by British explorer James Cook during his voyages in the South Pacific in the 1770s. One of these journeys eventually led Cook to discover the Hawaiian Islands. Cook also navigated Discovery to explore the coasts of southern Alaska and northwestern Canada...."

Today's Discovery will carry a medallion from Britain's Royal Society: one struck in honor of Captain Cook. At least, that's the plan.

The Lemming is fascinated by language, names, and how they relate to the human experience: so this account of how ships used by James Cook and Henry Hudson are commemorated by a surface-to-orbit freighter is quite interesting.

To the Lemming. Your experience may vary.

As for Captain James Cook and his expedition: His ships made it back; he didn't. Resolution and Discovery left port in 1776, returning in 1780. Hawaiians killed him in 1779, during a disagreement. My guess is that it had to do with Cook's returning to repair a broken mast, after a breakdown in communications. Cook's decision to grab a Hawaiian in retaliation for the capture of a ship's boat probably didn't help. His hostage was a Hawaiian leader.

Look at it this way: say space aliens snatched the American president. The Secret Service would not take kindly to that. Which is about as close to hand-wringing as the apathetic Lemming will get today.

Which is another topic. Topics.

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Last Discovery Launch Scheduled - Again"
  (January 29, 2011)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: Aerial Snapshot"
  (June 26, 2010)
• "Last Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: More of a Beginning, Than an End"
  (May 14, 2010)
• Humanity in Space:
  • "The Next Few Decades"
  • "The Next Few Centuries"

Space Shuttle Infographic: From Steering Thrusters to Rudder/Speed Brake

"NASA's Space Shuttle – From Top to Bottom"
Karl Tate, Space.com (January 31, 2011)

Normally the Lemming gives a short quote from an article or post - but in this case it's one whacking great infographic, 9,338 pixels tall. And just a tiny bit wider than this blog's format likes. The Lemming checked - nothing's hidden, apart from the tip of the Shuttles tail in a drawing, and a tad bit of the right border of a photo.

It's a thorough piece - including a section on Launch Pad 39-A, an old Saturn V launch facility that NASA re-engineered for the shuttles.



Source Space.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

The embed code, by the wya, is Space.com's, except for the location of the infographic file. The Lemming's placed that on another server - in case Space.com shuffles its website. They've been pretty good about making it possible for folks to find their pages - but one never knows what's next.

About the Space Shuttle fleet: They've been a fine line of freighters, and the Lemming will be a little sorry to see them go. But time passes, and the Lemming's written about that before. September 23, 2010)

Related posts:

• "Last Discovery Launch Scheduled - Again"
  (January 29, 2011)
• "Discovery Launch: Hydrogen Leak, Cracks, and Canvas Sails"
  (November 24, 2010)
• "Last Space Shuttle Discovery Launch This Afternoon: Maybe"
  (November 5, 2010)
• "Last Discovery Launch Called On Account of Rain"
  (November 4, 2010)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Last Discovery Launch Scheduled - Again

"Shuttle Discovery to Make Its Final Launch Pad Trip Monday"
Clara Moskowitz, Space.com (January 28, 2011)

"The space shuttle Discovery is set to make its last journey to Launch Pad 39A Monday (Jan. 31) in preparation for its final mission to space next month.

"Discovery is slated to launch Feb. 24, carrying six astronauts and a load of new tools and spare supplies to the International Space Station.

"The shuttle has been inside the enormous Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., since late December. It has been undergoing repairs for cracks on its giant external fuel tank that were discovered while NASA was preparing to try to launch the shuttle in November. The cracks were found on support beams, called stringers, on the tank...."

The original schedule for Discovery's last mission included a launch date of November 1, 2010. Quite a bit has happened since then: including the repairs mentioned in the first few paragraphs of this Space.com article.

Two more shuttle launches are planned - and then the Space Shuttle fleet will be retired. Other nations will handle cargo and passenger runs to the International Space Station after that.

The Lemming thinks it won't be long before private spacecraft start making deliveries to low Earth orbit, too - and that's another topic.

Related posts:

• "Discovery Launch: Hydrogen Leak, Cracks, and Canvas Sails"
  (November 24, 2010)
• "Last Space Shuttle Discovery Launch This Afternoon: Maybe"
  (November 5, 2010)
• "Last Discovery Launch Called On Account of Rain"
  (November 4, 2010)
• "Space Shuttle Discovery: Last Launch, First Robot"
  (October 29, 2010)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)

Discovery Launch: Hydrogen Leak, Cracks, and Canvas Sails

"Latest Launch Delay May Push Shuttle Discovery's Final Flight Into Christmas "
Denise Chow, Space.com (November 24, 2010)

"NASA's latest launch delay for the space shuttle Discovery could push the spacecraft's final mission into the Christmas holiday, or even postpone it completely until February, agency officials said Wednesday.

"Top shuttle program managers met today (Nov. 24) to review recent repairs to Discovery's massive external fuel tank. Based on the discussion, NASA officials decided to forgo any launch attempts until at least Dec. 17, if not into the next launch window in February.

" 'What we've told the agency leadership is that clearly we're not ready for the Dec. 3 to Dec. 7 window that's coming up next week,' John Shannon, NASA's shuttle program manager, said in a news conference this afternoon. 'We'll leave the option open for a launch window for Dec. 17, but a lot of data has to come together to support that.'..."

If Discovery doesn't launch in December, it looks like the launch date will be pushed back to February, 2010.

All of which doesn't leave the folks on the International Space Station (ISS) stranded. They've been getting cargo from robotic freighters; and the last the Lemming heard, Russia had spacecraft that could ferry people to and from the space station.

The hydrogen leak's been patched, and cracked metal ribs in Discovery's external tank are now reinforced. Part of what's keeping Discovery on the ground, is that program managers don't think they've got a clear enough idea of why the ribs cracked in the first place.

The Lemming thinks that waiting is prudent in this case. It certainly makes more sense than the Qantas 'there was no explosion' approach to vehicle maintenance. (November 4, 2010)

That crack in the exterior tank's insulation? Not related to the cracked ribs, and that's patched, too.

The Lemming hopes to watch Discovery's last mission on television. It'll be a time for a little nostalgia. It's the end of the first line of surface-to-orbit freighters.

There's also a great deal of 'firsts' happening. Bigelow Aerospace is well on its way to having rental property in Earth orbit. (October 20, 2010) We've been assured that Russia will have the "first" commercial space station - probably true, depending on how "first" and "space station" are defined. (September 29, 2010) There's even not-entirely-crazy talk about commercial flights to Mars in maybe 15 years. (September 1, 2010)

Sure, the Lemming will miss the Space Shuttles. A little like someone might miss the days when wooden hulls and canvas sails carried people between continents. But it's exciting, living in an era where people are traveling to orbit and back - and it doesn't necessarily make the headlines any more.

The folks working at getting Discovery launch-ready? They're getting Thursday and Friday off. It's Thanksgiving weekend, you know.

Related posts:

• "Last Space Shuttle Discovery Launch This Afternoon: Maybe"
  (November 5, 2010)
• "Last Discovery Launch Called On Account of Rain"
  (November 4, 2010)
• "Space Shuttle: Last Discovery Launch Thursday, So Far"
  (November 2, 2010)
  • Includes inforgraphic
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Hypersonic Vehicles: Waveriders to Space"
  (November 2, 2009)
• "Skylon: Spaceplane for 2019"
  (March 12, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Last Space Shuttle Discovery Launch This Afternoon: Maybe

---

Updated (November 5, 2010)

"NASA Postpones Shuttle Discovery Launch to Nov. 30 for Repairs "

---

Updated (November 5, 2010)
Denise Chow, Space.com (November 5, 2010)

---

"Fuel Leak Delays Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery"
Denise Chow, Space.com (November 5, 2010)

"A fuel leak on the space shuttle Discovery thwarted NASA efforts to launch the spacecraft today, delaying the shuttle's final liftoff to no earlier than Monday, Nov. 8.

"Discovery was slated to launch at 3:04 p.m. EDT (1904 GMT) today (Nov. 5) but a leak of flammable liquid hydrogen discovered during fueling forced NASA to stand down.

"The next attempted launch of Discovery and its six-astronaut crew remains to be determined, but will come no earlier than Monday at 12:53 p.m. EST (1653 GMT)...."

"...The hydrogen gas leak was detected at around 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT) in a location known as the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate, which is an attachment point between the external tank and a 17-inch pipe that carries gaseous hydrogen safely away from the shuttle to the flare stack, where it is burned off...."

That text link take you to a sort of slide show about Discovery, on the Space.com website.

Between its temperature and chemical characteristics, liquid hydrogen is tricky stuff to work with - and that's another topic.

---

"NASA Hopes to Launch Shuttle Discovery on Final Mission After Delays"
Denise Chow, Space.com (November 5, 2010)

"After nearly a week of delays, NASA is once again readying the space shuttle Discovery for the last flight of her storied 26-year spaceflying career.

"Discovery, NASA's oldest space shuttle still flying, is poised to launch today (Nov. 5) at 3:04 p.m. EDT (1904 GMT) from the seaside Launch Pad 39A here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

"The mission has been delayed since Monday (Nov. 1) due to minor last-minute hiccups and stormy weather that drenched the Florida spaceport yesterday.

"Current weather forecasts, however, show a significant improvement for today's launch. Estimates are projecting a 60 percent chance of acceptable conditions, with the main concern being high winds in the area...."

According to a NASA announcement, Discovery's launch time - weather and technology permitting - is 3:04 p.m. EDT. ("Weather Forecast Friday: 60 percent 'Go'," Latest Space Shuttle News, NASA) We'll see how this goes.

The Lemming may yet indulge in some nostalgia. Mostly, though, I'm excited that we're not looking at the end of something so much as seeing the start of more traffic to low Earth orbit. In quite a variety of vehicles.

Related posts:

• "Last Discovery Launch Called On Account of Rain"
  (November 4, 2010)
• "Space Shuttle: Last Discovery Launch Thursday, So Far"
  (November 2, 2010)
  • Includes inforgraphic
• "Boeing CST-100 Spaceship: Passenger Service to ISS, Commercial Space Stations"
  (July 21, 2010)
• "Hypersonic Vehicles: Waveriders to Space"
  (November 2, 2009)
• "Skylon: Spaceplane for 2019"
  (March 12, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Last Discovery Launch Called On Account of Rain

"Stormy Weather Delays Space Shuttle Discovery's Launch At Least 24 Hours"
Denise Chow, Space.com (November 4, 2010)

"Stormy weather forced NASA to delay the launch of the space shuttle Discovery for at least one more day, the latest in a string of setbacks for what will be the spacecraft's final mission.

"Discovery was slated to blast off from a seaside pad here at the Kennedy Space Center at 3:29 p.m. EDT (1929 GMT), but persistent rain in the area, and a gloomy outlook that called for an 80 percent chance of stormy weather, convinced NASA officials to stand down for the day.

" 'If it looked like there was any possible chance of giving it a shot, then I think we would have chosen to proceed with tanking,' said Pete Nickolenko, NASA's assistant shuttle launch director. 'But, it was really very clear today that it wasn't looking to be our day weather-wise.'..."

The shuttle apparently could take off in the rain: but would have trouble landing back at the Cape, if the crew had to fly back early from part-way to orbit. 'Better safe than sorry' seems to be the operating philosophy here. Which, under the circumstances, seems to make sense.

The Lemming hopes to see the last Discovery launch, whenever that happens.

And, I'm looking forward to things like the opening of Bigelow Aerospace orbital rental properties, the first tourist flights out of Spaceport America, and the next step toward working hypersonic transports.

Related posts:

• "Space Shuttle: Last Discovery Launch Thursday, So Far"
  (November 2, 2010)
  • Includes inforgraphic
• "Space Shuttle Discovery: Last Launch Rescheduled"
  (October 31, 2010)
• "Space Shuttle Discovery: Last Launch, First Robot"
  (October 29, 2010)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Boeing CST-100 Spaceship: Passenger Service to ISS, Commercial Space Stations"
  (July 21, 2010)
• "Hypersonic Vehicles: Waveriders to Space"
  (November 2, 2009)
• "Skylon: Spaceplane for 2019"
  (March 12, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Space Shuttle: Last Discovery Launch Thursday, So Far

"Electrical Glitch Delays Space Shuttle Discovery's Launch to Thursday"
Denise Chow, Space.com (November 2, 2010)

"The space shuttle Discovery's final launch has been delayed at least 24 hours due to issues with one of the orbiter's backup engine controllers.

"Mission managers decided that extra time is needed to address the glitch, preventing an on-time launch tomorrow afternoon (Nov. 3).The next attempt to launch the space shuttle will come no earlier than Thursday (Nov. 4) at 3:29 p.m. (1929 GMT).

"During checkouts of the orbiter today, the backup controller for Discovery's Main Engine No. 3 did not turn on as expected, NASA officials said in a statement. Voltage irregularities were observed, and engineering teams subsequently began investigating the problem.

"Earlier today, shuttle engineers had also noticed a separate problem with the same backup computer system, but those issues were said to have been fixed. [GRAPHIC: NASA's Space Shuttle – From Top to Bottom]..."

The Lemming hasn't been keeping track of how many times this last Discovery mission has been rescheduled. The last I posted about was the topic of an October 31 Space.com article. ("Space Shuttle Discovery: Last Launch Rescheduled" (October 31, 2010) That time the launch was set back to Wednesday.

Does this prove that space travel is too unsafe, or too something else, to be practical?

The Lemming doesn't think so. Takeoffs and landings with any sort of flying vehicle are notoriously risky. Remember Tenerife, 1977? Or US Airways Flight 1549, 2009? (January 17, 2009, January 31, 2009)

The folks running the Space Shuttle program know this - and there's every reason to believe they don't want a repeat of the Challenger disaster.

Besides, the Space Shuttle is a huge piece of three-decade-old (for the most part) technology. It's not terribly surprising that parts of the system need tweaking before they're ready to go.

Will getting into orbit always be this complicated? An epic voyage fraught with peril? The Lemming's guess is 'no.' Any more than crossing the Atlantic today means spending weeks in an open-top curragh. We've even got technology in the research and development stage that may make passenger and freight service to low Earth orbit about as routine as trans-Pacific flights are now. ("Hypersonic Vehicles: Waveriders to Space" (November 2, 2009))

Here's that Space.com 'infographic:'


Source Space.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

Space Shuttle Discovery: Last Launch Rescheduled

"Shuttle Discovery's Gas Leaks Repaired In Time for Wednesday Launch"
Denise Chow, Space.com (October 31, 2010)

"NASA is counting down toward the final flight of space shuttle Discovery after engineers successfully repaired two minor gas leaks on the spacecraft in time for one last launch on Wednesday (Nov. 3).

"Discovery's final launch has been delayed two days due to leaky helium and nitrogen seals found in the shuttle's right orbital maneuvering system pod last week.

"Technicians raced to troubleshoot the problem and re-pressurize the orbiter's rocket engine in time for a targeted launch at 3:52 p.m. EDT (1952 GMT) on Wednesday. The official countdown toward liftoff began today (Oct. 31) at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT)...."

The Lemming may indulge in a little nostalgia around Wednesday. I remember watching coverage of the first Space Shuttle test flight, and have followed the program over the decades - including the Challenger and Columbia disasters. Those are reminders of how risky getting to orbit and back can be. Looking at it another way, the 131 Space Shuttle missions that went pretty much as planned shows how far this sort of transportation technology has come since the Vanguard days.

The end of the Space Shuttle program is hardly the end of people traveling to space. It's more the end of a very early stage in our travels beyond Earth.

"...NASA will retire the three remaining shuttles in its fleet – Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour – next year to make way for a new plan aimed at sending astronauts to visit an asteroid and Mars. Discovery is the oldest of NASA's space shuttles...."

In the short run, it looks like vehicles that will replace the Space Shuttle fleet will look more like the old Soyuz/Apollo-era capsules. A few years further out, my guess is that transoceanic air travel will merge with service to low Earth orbit. Ten years or so from now, folks may be flying something like the X-51 or Skylon hypersonic vehicles.

One thing this era is not, is boring.

Related posts:

• "Space Shuttle Discovery: Last Launch, First Robot"
  (October 29, 2010)
• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Boeing CST-100 Spaceship: Passenger Service to ISS, Commercial Space Stations"
  (July 21, 2010)
• "Hypersonic Vehicles: Waveriders to Space"
  (November 2, 2009)
• "Skylon: Spaceplane for 2019"
  (March 12, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Space Shuttle Discovery: Last Launch, First Robot

"Space Shuttle Discovery's Last Crew Arrives at Launch Site"
Space.com (October 28, 2010)

"The six astronauts who will fly on space shuttle Discovery during its historic final flight have arrived at their Florida launch site for the planned Monday launch, after a slight delay due to an aircraft glitch.

"Discovery commander Steve Lindsey and four of his crewmates began landing their NASA T-38 jets here at the Kennedy Space Center at about 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT). A plane swap for the sixth crewmember, mission specialist Alvin Drew, delayed his arrival by an hour.

" 'It's great to be down here – what an exciting week,' Lindsey told reporters who had gathered for the crew's arrival. 'Hopefully, weather permitting, all goes well and we'll have a nice Nov. 1 on-time launch. We're looking forward to it.'..."

The Shuttle fleet has been ferrying people and freight to and from orbit for three decades: and this is the last flight. Last flight of the Shuttle program.

Folks working in the International Space Station (ISS) won't be stuck in orbit: they'll just have other travel arrangements. And if the plans of Bigelow Aerospace and others stay on track, they'll soon have neighbors.

Then there's Robonaut 2, or R2, the robot assistant that Discovery is taking to the ISS. R2 looks more than a little human from the waist up: mostly because a lot of the jobs it's designed to help with require the sort of dexterity that humans have.

This is definitely not the 20th century any more. More about R2:

• "My Date With R2: Reporter Meets NASA's Strong, Silent Space Robot"
  Stephanie Pappas, Space.com (October 28, 2010)
• "Humanoid Robot Hitching Space Ride on Shuttle Discovery "
  Stephanie Pappas, Space.com (October 25, 2010)

The Lemming remembers Sputnik and the landing at Tranquility Base. It's exciting to be around when spaceports are being built and the first generation of space freighters is being retired.

Related posts:

• "Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "When it's Time to Build Spaceships, People Will Build Spaceships"
  (October 4, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Last Flights of the First Space Freighters, New Construction at Spaceports

"Shuttle Discovery's Last Launch Pad Trip"
Space.com image gallery

"Space shuttle Discovery is the oldest in NASA's fleet, but will be the first to retire after one final spaceflight. NASA pulled out all the stops Sept. 20, 2010, when Discovery made its last trip to the launch pad for its final flight. The shuttle is due to launch Nov. 1, 2010."

The Lemming remembers when the first shuttle returned from orbit. For that matter, I remember when the first satellite went into orbit.

I may indulge in a little nostalgia, as the Space Shuttle program marks various 'last' events. But only a little. The Shuttle fleet has done its job, helping build the International Space Station and demonstrating that it's possible to fly freighters to low Earth orbit and back on a fairly regular schedule.


"Morning Has Broken
"Space shuttle Discovery is attached to Launch Pad 39A as the sun rises over Kennedy Space Center in Florida...." (7th of 11 images)
(from NASA, via Space.com, used w/o permission) (reduced and cropped)

There's another spaceport in Florida now, about 25 miles southwest of downtown Jacksonville: one of over a half-dozen in this country. (January 19, 2010) Many more are either in operation, or being built, around the world. A quick look at a couple of America's spaceports, and one in Europe:

• "Construction Status"
  New Mexico Spaceport Authority/Spaceport America
• Europe's Spaceport
  ESA
• The Oklahoma Spaceport
  Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority

Robots exploring the Solar system, spaceports popping up like mushrooms, being able to write about it on a blog: I'm living in 'The Future' right now. Not quite as it was imagined in the fifties, which is just as well. 'Serious' prognosticators missed the boat on several of the more exciting developments: including the Internet.

Exciting times, these.

Related posts:

• "X-51 Waverider, Bullet Trains: Change Happens"
  (March 11, 2010)
• "Over Four Dozen Space Agencies (and Growing?)"
  (February 28, 2010)
• "Humanity in Space: Looking at the Big Picture"
  (January 29, 2010)
• "America's Seventh Spaceport"
  (January 19, 2010)
• "When it's Time to Build Spaceships, People Will Build Spaceships"
  (October 4, 2009)

More:

• "Humanity in Space: The Next Few Decades"

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: Aerial Snapshot

"Space Shuttle Launch Seen From Jet Fighter "
Space.com (June 25, 2010)

"It's an amazing scene: A NASA space shuttle rocketing into space while U.S. Air Force pilots watch from their airborne F-15E Strike Eagle jet fighter. The stunning snapshot was taken May 14 as NASA's shuttle Atlantis soared into orbit on its final scheduled mission...."


(United States Air Force photo by Captain John Peltier, via Space.com, used w/o permission)
"Lt. Col. Gabriel Green and Capt. Zachary Bartoe patrol the skies over Kennedy Space Center, Fla., in an F-15E Strike Eagle as the Space Shuttle Atlantis launches into space for the last time. During the patrol, Strike Eagle aircrews identified and redirected five aircraft that inadvertently violated the airspace restriction put in place for the launch. Colonel Green is the 333rd Fighter Squadron commander and Captain Bartoe is a 333rd FS weapons system officer. Both aircrew members are assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, N.C. Full Story...."

The Lemming doesn't, as a rule, copy this much of an article's text - but there wasn't all that much text with the article to begin with. Besides, I wanted to be sure that the names got passed along. And you'll probably want to follow the links to the Space.com article for the full-size photo. And the fuller-size photo.

That should be "more-full-size" or "bigger" photo. You get the idea.

Let's see, the Lemming's reaction: spectacular? wow? Yeah, I think that just about covers it.