Flight

In the interest of ensuring that I have at least one post a month and, keeping in mind that my last post was over a month ago (July 9 to be exact), I have decided that now is as good a time as any to make my first (and perhaps only) August post.

I usually post when I have something to say or when something important is happening either in my life or the lives of those around me. The recent weeks, though, have found me focused on events not on the ground but many miles above me. Yes, I too was riveted by the "Return to Flight" mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Maybe it was the incessant media coverage, the daily updates, or the dire predictions of disaster. Or maybe it was the innate desire to witness human exploration, the joy at watching people perform tasks that had never been done before, or the respect I had for the men and women who risked their lives to jump start the American space program only to have it grounded again. These individuals are the heroes of the 21st century. They work not for money or for fame but rather for the advancement of science. They are toiling to better themselves and the world at large.

Often my passion for a subject is sparked by something. In this case I have always been interested in the intricacies of space flight. However, an editorial from the Chicago Tribune on August 10, 2005 got me thinking. I have reprinted it below so that my response is better understood. The text that follows is copyright ©2005 Chicago Tribune.

A safe return. Now move on
Published August 10, 2005

We held our breath and waited to see the tiny speck that was the space shuttle Discovery as it glided in the pre-dawn desert sky Tuesday. No animation, no computer landing clock and surely no assurances from expert commentators would soothe the jittery nerves of a nation that absorbed the hard lessons of space travel after the destruction of Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003.

This landing we had to see. We had to vicariously ride along with the crew of seven astronauts headed to Earth. And then, there it was, the Discovery, arriving for a graceful landing on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

"Discovery is home," NASA spokesman James Hartsfield said as he narrated the landing, calmly uttering the three words that a beleaguered space agency longed to hear.

It was a smooth end to a nerve-wracking voyage that came 2 1/2 years after the Columbia disaster. This time, NASA got it mostly right, reaffirmed that the U.S. could launch astronauts into space and return them safely.

But in one very important area, NASA still has plenty of work to do. A chunk of insulating foam from the shuttle's external fuel tank fell off during the Discovery launch. That same problem doomed Columbia.

The shuttle fleet will now be grounded until an adequate fix can be applied. Atlantis was scheduled to launch during September, a date that NASA looks unlikely to keep.

Before the latest launch this page argued that the shuttle program should be retired now, long before scheduled in 2010. The troubles of Discovery and the grounding of the fleet only underscore that idea.

NASA is hellbent on continuing with the shuttle program to complete the international space station. But the shuttle remains a relic of the 1970s. Fix it? NASA should instead focus on a new generation of space vehicles for the unmanned exploration of the farther reaches of the solar system.

Over the decades space travel has been about courage and faith, the courage of astronauts who leave the Earth and the faith in the technology that blasts them off and returns them home. The Discovery mission showed Americans those traits endure.

Yes, NASA stands for courage and faith, but it also stands for new vistas. The shuttle has served its purpose. It's time to move on.


After reading the editorial, I found myself agreeing with it until I got to the last few paragraphs. The work that is to be done in the next five years by the remaining space shuttle fleet is of paramount importance. The International Space Station must be completed by the space shuttle because no other vehicle currently in development, including the new Crew Exploration Vehicle, will be able to carry the necessary payload.

Even more important than the shuttle fleet is the space station itself, a test bed for virtually all of the technology we will need for manned missions to the moon and Mars. Indeed, the space shuttle is 1970s technology. But going back to the moon - and on to Mars - right now would involve resurrecting 1960s technology. The space station, in additon to being a laboratory, would serve as an important way station on trips to the moon and eventually Mars.

Finally, perhaps even more critical to the future of human space exploration than the shuttle or the space station is that the exploration be directed and performed by humans rather than machines. While robotic exploration would be much cheaper than manned exploration and has proven to be quite successful (Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, for example), the spectre of human exploration is what will keep humans interested.

I don't deny that unmanned exploration of the outer reaches of our solar system and beyond is important, but so too is the manned exploration of the moon and Mars. Sensing my obvious interst in the Return to Flight mission, for the first time in my life my sister was asking me questions about space science. "How big is the shuttle?" "How many people fit on it?" "How long does it stay in space?" Keep in mind these questions are coming from a 21-year-old. Imagine the wonder contained within a young child. Yet I am reasonably sure that if this mission were unmanned, it would have not inspired such questions. Humans need humans to be interested in something. Drama - and danger - are in our very nature.

Taking risks, triumphing over adversity, stepping into the unknown, bravery beyond belief: these are all traits we associate with America yet they are also woven into the fabric of our global society. The story of the Space Shuttle Discovery was as big in Denmark as it was here. What do the Danes have to do with an American shuttle flight? They have pride - not in America - but in humanity.

NASA, don't retire the space shuttle now. As long as there are men and women willing to fly it, and I'm sure you won't have a problem finding volunteers for the next five years of missions, continue your work and finish the International Space Station. Honor the treaties we have signed and complete a true marvel of human ingenuity and international cooperation. Work with the Russians, Japanese, Europeans, and anyone else that is willing to help. Competition is a thing of the past. Cooperation will usher us into the future. Continue your work on new technologies that will take us beyond the orbit of the space station such as the planned Crew Exploration Vehicle. Help us get back to the moon and Mars. This time we won't be doing it because of our egos. We'll be doing it because we want to. Because deep down inside, we have a desire - a need, even - to be explorers. To risk everything just to learn a little bit more about the universe we live in.