View Full Version : The End of the Space Shuttle Program



bucktalk
07-09-2011, 06:00 AM
With the incredible amount of money spent on the entire Space Shuttle program from day one until this last launch - I wonder what benefits America has received? Velcro and the microwave can't be the largest benefit from this program??

ljbab728
07-09-2011, 11:03 PM
With the incredible amount of money spent on the entire Space Shuttle program from day one until this last launch - I wonder what benefits America has received? Velcro and the microwave can't be the largest benefit from this program??

I'm not going to research this for you because I'm assuming you have to be kidding.

USG'60
07-10-2011, 01:31 PM
I'm glad we did it but it IS time to let private enterprise do the rest of the work in space without the gov't paying the bills and dictating its direction. It was mostly fun while it lasted, though.

OKCTalker
07-10-2011, 05:48 PM
It was program that cost $200+ billion over 25 years, and never had a goal.

Projects Mercury and Gemini were necessary stepping stones to Apollo which - as we all know - was intended to put a man on the moon by decade's end. And did. The program ended - properly so - a half-dozen missions later because the work had been completed.

Shuttle? It was a delivery service to low-earth orbit with nothing happening at the destination.

The future belongs to Dick & Burt Rutan, Richard Branson and others from the private sector, who will not only identify reasons to return to space, but efficient, economical ways of getting us there.

jn1780
07-10-2011, 07:48 PM
It did accomplish a lot in its early days before it was used to build the International White Elephant station. Hubble ,Chandra x-ray observatory,launching and repairing satellites, many space lab missions. New rockets developed since the first launch of the space shuttle has made it cheaper to launch satellites than using the space shuttle.

Would it be very useful today? Not really, a capsule would be cheaper and more practical to launch missions to the ISS if NASA actually had a ship ready to go. LOL

earlywinegareth
07-11-2011, 11:37 AM
I'm curious what the payback has been over 30 years also. Seems all we heard about were satellites placed in orbit, repair of Hubble, building the ISS, and various experiments done in weightlessness. Has the shuttle program provided any monumental breakthroughs in science that has benefited humanity?

Going forward, is it economically feasible to put humans in space? Personally, I don't think so. We can do all the research we want to do via unmanned probes at a fraction of the cost.

jn1780
07-11-2011, 12:15 PM
Probably depends on how you define "benefiting humanity". Scientifically, it indirectly contributed to Hubble's eventual success. The engineering effort to build the shuttle itself can be argued to have benefited humanity. After that I don't know, I definitively don't think the ISS was worth the effort. I don't think there's much scientific value in it. There has already been hundreds of experiments conducted in space throughout the space age.

venture
07-11-2011, 12:37 PM
I look at the Shuttle program, and space program overall, in two different ways. There is the direct human impact on Earth and then there is the need to continue the human drive to explore and reach out. Should the government get out of the space business? Not at all. National security being one reason, but there are some projects that the private sector can't and won't do. However, anything in low Earth orbit should be left to the private sector now. However, continued exploration to Mars, return to the Moon, inter-solar system exploration should be led by the government...but not just ours. It should be a collective effort by all major nations in unified space agency to handle exploration. Then the private sector can continue to expand out into farther destinations as the risk factor is addressed by a global space agency.

Now as far as what came out of the Shuttle for us earthlings...since Google is hard for some people. ;-)

Examples of Shuttle specific technology now in use on Earth:

3-D Biotechnology - Developed for Space Shuttle medical research, a rotating cell-culture device simulates the microgravity of space. This allows researchers to grow cells in three dimensions. The device may one day help researchers find cures for dangerous infectious diseases and offer alternatives to patients who need organ transplant surgery.

Artificial Heart - Technology used in Space Shuttle fuel pumps led to the development of a miniaturized ventricular-assist pump by NASA and renowned heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey. The tiny pump, a mere two inches long, one inch in diameter, and weighing less than four ounces, is currently undergoing clinical trials in Europe, where it has been successfully implanted into more than 20 people.

Blood Serum Research - An astronaut's body, once free of gravity's pull, experiences a redistribution of body fluids that can lead to a decrease in the number of red blood cells and produce a form of space anemia. Monitoring and evaluating blood serum was required to understand these phenomena. However, existing blood-analysis technology required the use of a centrifugation technology that was not practical in space. NASA developed new technologies for the collection and real-time analysis of blood as well as other bodily fluids without the need for centrifugation.

Artificial Limbs - Responding to a request from the orthopedic-appliance industry, NASA recommended that the foam insulation used to protect the Shuttle's external tank replace the heavy, fragile plaster used to produce master molds for prosthetics. The new material is light, virtually indestructible, and easy to ship and store.

Lifesaving Light - Special lighting technology developed for plant-growth experiments on Space Shuttle missions is now used to treat brain tumors in children. Doctors at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee use light-emitting diodes in a treatment called photodynamic therapy, a form of chemotherapy, to kill cancerous tumors.

Taking Temperatures - Infrared sensors developed to remotely measure the temperature of distant stars and planets for the Space Shuttle program led to the development of the hand-held optical sensor thermometer. Placed inside the ear canal, the thermometer provides an accurate reading in two seconds or less.

Better Balance - Devices built to measure the equilibrium of Space Shuttle astronauts when they return from space are now widely used by major medical centers to diagnose and treat patients suffering head injury, stroke, chronic dizziness and disorders of the central nervous system.

Faster Diagnostics - NASA technology was used to create a compact laboratory instrument for hospitals and doctor offices. This device quickly analyzes blood, accomplishing in 30 seconds what once took 20 minutes with conventional equipment.

Land Mine Removal - The same rocket fuel that helps launch the Space Shuttle is now being used to save lives -- by destroying land mines. A flare device, using leftover fuel donated by NASA, is placed next to the uncovered land mine and is ignited from a safe distance using a battery-triggered electric match. The explosive burns away, disabling the mine and rendering it harmless.

Tracking Vehicles on Earth - Tracking information originally used for Space Shuttle missions now helps track vehicles here on the ground. This commercial spin-off allows vehicles to transmit a signal back to a home base. Many cities today use the software to track and reassign emergency and public works vehicles. The technology also is used by vehicle fleet operations, such as taxis, armored cars and vehicles carrying hazardous cargo.

Rescue 911 - Rescue squads have a new extrication tool to help remove accident victims from wrecked vehicles. The hand-held device requires no auxiliary power systems or cumbersome hoses and is 70 percent cheaper than previous rescue equipment. The cutter uses a miniature version of the explosive charges that separate devices on the Space Shuttle.

Byte Out of Crime - Image-processing technology used to analyze Space Shuttle launch videos and to study meteorological images also helps law enforcement agencies improve crime-solving videos. The technology removes defects due to image jitter, image rotation and image zoom in video sequences. The technology also may be useful for medical imaging, scientific applications and home video.

Gas Gauges - A gas leak-detection system, originally developed to monitor the Shuttle's hydrogen propulsion system, is now being used by the Ford Motor Company in the production of a natural gas-powered car.

Product Labeling - NASA needs to identify, track, and keep records on each of the thousands of heat-shield tiles on the Space Shuttle. This required a labeling system that could be put on ceramic material and withstand the rigors of space travel to be readable after a flight. NASA developed high data-density, two-dimensional, machine-readable symbol technology used to mark individual tiles. This novel method of labeling products with invisible and virtually indestructible markings can be used on electronic parts, pharmaceuticals and livestock -- in fact on just about anything.

Keep Cool Under Fire - Materials from the Space Shuttle thermal protection system are used on NASCAR racing cars to protect drivers from the extreme heat generated by the engines. This same material is also used to protect firefighters.

Fire Resistant Foam - A unique foam developed for Space Shuttle thermal insulation and packing is now being used as thermal and acoustical insulation in aerospace, marine and industrial products. Since it's also fire resistant, it's being used as well for fire barriers, packaging and other applications requiring either high-temperature or very low-temperature insulation in critical environments. For example, use of these foam products by airframe manufacturers such as Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, and Airbus provides major weight savings, while retaining good thermal and acoustical properties in the various products.

Fire Sighting - A sensitive, gas infrared camera, used by NASA observers to monitor the blazing plumes from the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters is also capable of scanning for fires. Firefighters use this hand-held camera to pinpoint the hotspots of wildfires that rage out of control.

Jeweler's Gem - Jewelers no longer have to worry about inhaling dangerous asbestos fibers from the blocks they use as soldering bases. Space Shuttle heat-shield tiles offer jewelers a safer soldering base with temperature resistance far beyond the 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit generated by the jeweler's torch.

Jet Stripping - NASA developed a tool that uses powerful jet streams of water to strip paint and primer from the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters. A commercial version of this water jet is now used to treat turbine-engine components, airframe components, large aerospace hardware, ships and other mechanical devices, using only pure water. No hazardous chemicals are needed.

Quick Fit Fasteners - Fastening items in space is a difficult task. A Virginia company developed a fastener that can be pushed on, rather than turned. These quick-connect fasteners are flexible and strong, and have been used by NASA astronauts since 1989. The product is now in use by firefighters and nuclear power-plant repair technicians, and has other commercial applications.

Computer Joysticks - Computer games can now be played with all the precision and sensitivity needed for a safe and soft Space Shuttle touchdown. A game-controlling joystick for personal computer-based entertainment systems was modeled after controls used in shuttle simulators. Astronauts used the joystick to practice runway landings and orbit maneuvering.

Toys for Tots - Already successful with its Nerf toy products, Hasbro, Inc. wanted to design a toy glider that a child could fly. Benefiting from NASA wind-tunnel and aerodynamic expertise used in the Space Shuttle program, Hasbro improved the flying distances and loop-to-loop stunts of its toy gliders.

Slick Products - A lubricant used on the transporter that carries a Space Shuttle to the launch pad has resulted in a commercial penetrating-spray lube, which is used for rust prevention and loosening corroded nuts. It's also a cleaner and lubricant for guns and fishing reels, and can be used to reduce engine friction.

Bunty
07-11-2011, 12:54 PM
I'm glad we did it but it IS time to let private enterprise do the rest of the work in space without the gov't paying the bills and dictating its direction. It was mostly fun while it lasted, though.

Where is the profit motive? Are there enough rich people able to afford a ticket to the moon or would even want to do such a risky thing?

venture
07-11-2011, 01:17 PM
Where is the profit motive? Are there enough rich people able to afford a ticket to the moon or would even want to do such a risky thing?

I don't see anything being more than government subsidized transportation to the ISS for the private sector for now. The tourism portion that will be dominated by Virgin Galactic is going to be very limited in its reach.

I feel the main profit driver won't come until we are established on the Moon and Mars, or various asteroids, and establish mining colonies and transportation lines from them.