The STS program may be extended by two more years...

[Moonwalker]

Maybe NASATV will show it?

Luckily yes

For anybody interested: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/spaceconf.html

[Richard R]

Coverage Starts about 1:30pm EDT On NASA TV...

Richard R

[Admin]

At least 500,000 people will watch the event: all of them NASA and subcontractors employees.

/Admin

[schmidtrock]

Cool thanks, will be checking this out today.

[Moonwalker]

I'm not sure if we would see this today: but it would be great to see a concept of that proposed heavy lift launcher and its [various?] payload capability...

[Admin]

Check this! No need to waste time and bandwidth to see the new "Horror Picture Show" later today.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/ostp/press_release_files/NASA%20OSTP%20Joint%20Fact%20Sheet%20FINAL%202020.pdf

I must say I'm not surprised! No extension of Shuttle flights - no more STS flights, only support if schedule is extended to 2011 - i.e. if due to weather, technical, logistical etc. problems the current launches to not happen during 2010.

Constellation is cancelled (pending Congress, etc.)

Obscene $B invested in researching the New Zealand Cow Fart Syndrome (AKA "Global warming")

Even more obscene 6B invested into retiring Constellation, re-structuring NASA and firing about 10-15% of the NASA workforce - to be replaced by other jobs somewhere else. I am sure that a lot of NASA employees just LOVE this!

I won't be watching Obama doing the rhetoric limbo.

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

So at least I have won a bet: no more Shuttle flights

But seriously, I would have been very surprised if they would have decided the other way. Wouldn't have make any sense at all. But that chapter is now closed finally.

Re-structuring NASA and firing 10-15% of NASA employees is not a bad concept as I always say. Costs are proportional to employees, and NASA is [still...] a big governmental job keeping program. If they re-structure NASA the rational way, this would be a benefit for the future of manned NASA programs rather than a loss. It is understandable that employees will be shocked. But you always have that conflict whenever you have to decide for rationalization. And if NASA intends to do a big and sustainable program, there is simply no other way.

I'm now just curious how exactly the new manned programm is going to look like...

[Spaceguy5]

Even more obscene 6B invested into retiring Constellation, re-structuring NASA and firing about 10-15% of the NASA workforce - to be replaced by other jobs somewhere else. I am sure that a lot of NASA employees just LOVE this!

I won't be watching Obama doing the rhetoric limbo.

/Admin

Was it really a good idea to deliver that speech at a NASA center?

[Admin]

Hmmm, I don't remember a bet and I don't see one in the thread. Let's see what happens as we get closer to September The budget and backups allow for more STS flights after 2010 ("carefully and safely"), just in case the Russians decide to flex their muscle, get greedy or both.

Yes 10-15% is "not a bad concept" if you are lucky enough not to be among the fired. About 10,000 families will "have a problem". They will definitely think that this is a "bad concept".

So all the "new jobs" he was talking about were actually replacement jobs and not really NEW jobs. Typical!

And the new NASA manned space flight will not look like anything - there really is no NASA manned Space Program - at least for the next 5 years!

/Admin

[Spaceguy5]

I had some friends whose families worked at KSC. The way they described it, after the shuttle program ends, their whole neighborhood will be virtually abandoned. Some where planning to move back after Constellation started up, but oh wait...

Good deal...

[schmidtrock]

Jebus.

[schmidtrock]

This will kill more than just one neighborhood That whole area, heck counties were built and directly supported by the manned space program for decades now. This is a very sad day.

[simking]

Typical obama unite the world one big happy new world order...he don't care for the space program no president since Kennedy gave a crap about manned space flights,all he talked about was unmanned projects.their will be thousands out of work as much as I hate the thought and forgive me but i hope Russia does do something s****d race the price try to hijack the station just so we can say told you so.I am sorry I just don't trust anyone to get our men and women up and back from space but Americans.least of which Russia I don't get it we had the Saturn Vs and we have everything we need to build rockets (tanks SRBS)why does it take so long and so much more money?compared to the shuttle were the Saturn Vs cheaper? if so dig out the blue prints and use them, or modify them I am sorry like the election he talks a big game bit will fall flat.I am sad really and feel empty that we will have nothing but talk and blueprints for years to come obama lost a lot of votes in Florida. 8 years (lets pray for 4) he will be gone then  someone else with different ideas Comes and we start all over again.may be even longer. JUST MY 2 CENTS AND OPINION dont bite my head off..

[Moonwalker]

Hmmm, I don't remember a bet and I don't see one in the thread.

Well, not officially but:

I'm betting for an extension....

My entire wealth and fund goes to: maximally two more missions   i f   a t   a l l.

About 10,000 families will "have a problem". They will definitely think that this is a "bad concept".

Of course they will think that way. And its their right. But it's a kind of business. You can decide between keeping a big job program and losing capability if not increasing budget, or cut jobs, restructure the program and gain capability.

And the new NASA manned space flight will not look like anything - there really is no NASA manned Space Program - at least for the next 5 years!

Which is the result of operate something on its final breaths under huge efforts and additional huge costs in order to fulfill an assignment (assemble the ISS). Apollo also was costly and the Shuttle development was costly as well and suffered from some significant issues. The result was a 6 years gap between Apollo and STS.

History does not repeat, but sometimes it looks similar. This time they at least realize that not only programs, but also NASA has to change.

[Moonwalker]

Typical obama unite the world one big happy new world order...he don't care for the space program no president since Kennedy gave a crap about manned space flights,all he talked about was unmanned projects.

Kennedy also didn't care for manned space flight. Without the Russian "threat", NASA wouldn't have get only one cent from Kennedy Kennedy was what Obama is as well: a great rhetorician and last but not least just a politician.

Obama today did talk about both, unmanned and manned proposals. But people really have to understand that the main task and work of NASA and its scientific research is not manned space flight. There is always that mistake. Manned space flight just gets the most attention and excitement within the public eye. The science NASA does on Earth and in space unmanned is much more than the Shuttle and ISS program does and did. Not to talk about Apollo and the pre-programs. Science in space was minor those days.

i hope Russia does do something s****d race the price try to hijack the station just so we can say told you so.I am sorry I just don't trust anyone to get our men and women up and back from space but Americans.

So you might see what I mean from page one: Not invented here syndrom. It's still there, on many people, and also on you obviously

Times and political situaions have changed. There is no Russian threat, nor is or will Russia become "evil" to its space partners.

we had the Saturn Vs and we have everything we need to build rockets (tanks SRBS)why does it take so long and so much more money?compared to the shuttle were the Saturn Vs cheaper?

The Apollo Program costs was, in today dollars, more than the entire US contribution to the ISS for now, just to send 3 men to the Moon 9 times (6 landings).

NASA is simply too costly/inefficiently. Norman Augustine was just talking about that on NASA TV by the way. He, just like Obama and any other smart person, is aware of the fact that sustainable programs are only possible for NASA by increasing commercialization and change the way of distributing money.

if so dig out the blue prints and use them, or modify them

Too expensive. What is needed is innovation. New stuff and a restructured NASA. Old technology and structures won't go anywhere.