![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
And then what?
Jul. 8th, 2011 08:49 amToday is the launch of the final space shuttle mission (weather permitting).
And there's no replacement plan. Not really. Apparently, the International Space Station is going to be resupplied by the Russian space program, but NASA doesn't have a new vehicle ready, and apparently, the plan is to look towards private business solutions.
Which means... "Space, the last great place to make a buck." Not that the Russian space program hasn't been doing that already with it's "Pay X million dollars to go into space." But true space tourism, as in "take the wife and kids on a trip" is still years, if not decades off. Which is probably for the best. It's one thing when you're going to the beach, and you realize halfway there that you forgot to pack sunscreen. But halfway to a station parked in a Lagrange point, you really can't turn around if you forgot something.
That wouldn't mean that angry fathers wouldn't threaten that. "Billy, stop trying to poke holes in your sister's spacesuit. I swear to God, I will turn this launch vehicle around RIGHT NOW!"
And there's no replacement plan. Not really. Apparently, the International Space Station is going to be resupplied by the Russian space program, but NASA doesn't have a new vehicle ready, and apparently, the plan is to look towards private business solutions.
Which means... "Space, the last great place to make a buck." Not that the Russian space program hasn't been doing that already with it's "Pay X million dollars to go into space." But true space tourism, as in "take the wife and kids on a trip" is still years, if not decades off. Which is probably for the best. It's one thing when you're going to the beach, and you realize halfway there that you forgot to pack sunscreen. But halfway to a station parked in a Lagrange point, you really can't turn around if you forgot something.
That wouldn't mean that angry fathers wouldn't threaten that. "Billy, stop trying to poke holes in your sister's spacesuit. I swear to God, I will turn this launch vehicle around RIGHT NOW!"