Without the Space Shuttle

Without the Space Shuttle
By
Colt Fairburn

     This July marks the first anniversary of the last space shuttle flight to the International Space Station.  After 30 years of service, the space shuttle has been retired.  Some have questioned the wisdom of retiring the shuttle while there still astronauts on the International Space Station.  The only transportation to and from the space station is on the Russian spacecraft.  When questioned about this situation, one astronaut said "Yeah, I don't think they really thought this one out."  "They really should have de-commissioned the space station first, I mean, there are still people up there."

                                                                                               
                                                         


Servicing The Space Station


     Without the space shuttle, the space station is now being serviced by private companies like Space-Ex, a Japanese space firm, and the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.  When questioned about the recent troubles that the Russian Soyuz spacecraft was having, one astronaut said "It's kind of a rough ride home, I mean, the space shuttle  was the "Cadillac" of space transportation.  They even serve coffee and Gatorade on board.  The Russians have kind of a "Yugo".  "Of course they do serve vodka and pickles to ease the pain."

A Rough Ride

     Sometimes the Soyuz capsule subjects the occupants to extreme g-forces upon re-entry.  There was one incident when the first Korean astronaut was on board that was subjected to a force of 10 G's upon re-entry.  Compared to the U.S. space shuttle's 3-G's upon re-entry.  That same Soyuz also landed about 260 miles off course due to a malfunction.  It took quite a while to find them.

Americans Have to Hitch-hike


     For the time being the only way for astronauts to get to and from the space station is on the Soyuz rocket.  One astronaut said "The Russians frown on hitch-hiking at the Cosmodrome.  The other drawback is when you get back, they drop you off somewhere in Kazakhstan, and they don't always know where.  Did you ever try to get a ride home from Kazakhstan?"  "It's two long bus rides and a cab to the nearest airport.  Then you have to fly Aeroflot to France, thank God for the Stoly, then on to Florida."

Economic Pain

With the end of the shuttle program came the end of  at least 7,000 support jobs at the space center where some have worked for many years, depending on the program for their employment.  Many of the engineers and support personnel have moved on to other jobs, some are unemployed and looking for work.  Still others have found temporary jobs during the job hunt.
One unemployed engineer found a job at a local Home Depot and was having a difficult time adjusting.  Customers started to complain when he told one elderly woman that she could find the flashlight batteries "103 feet down-range at an altitude of three feet, six inches."  "She mumbled something about a knuckle-sandwich wise guy", and I apologized for having confused her."