Are the Astronauts excited about post Shuttle lanuches?

shuttle2moon · Sep 11, 2006

I know that they would likley talk the NASA talk in public, but I wondering if the current crop of Astronauts are excited about going "back" to capsules to get to the moon and beyond. I was hoping for some crazy new design, but given time contraints I understand why lockmarts capsule was chosen. And SG, are you exitced to be working on the new vehicle? I wonder if a reusable capsule (entire unit) will be made....

spacefire · Sep 11, 2006

Astronauts DO NOT get excited over anything because they have nerves of steel. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.comhttp://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </div>

willpittenger · Sep 11, 2006

I do not know about that. If they could do it without risking lives, roller coaster manufacturers are probably still attempting to figure out how to reproduce Challenger's last trip in a coaster. Presumably, the coaster's line would have various displays to serve as a memorial. All the better to improve the theme. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

henryhallam · Sep 11, 2006

That would be in extremely bad taste.

radarredux · Sep 11, 2006

> I wondering if the current crop of Astronauts are excited about going "back" to capsules to get to the moon and beyond./i> I suspect they are not happy about the downtime between the Shuttles' retirement (2010) and the CEV becoming operational (~2014). There may be another 1-2 year downtime between when the US exits the ISS (2016-2017) and then starts Lunar operations (2018). Another potential bug-a-boo is that, I believe, the current plans are to have about 2 Lunar missions per year with no currently planned budgets to support anything beyond that. With only 4 astronauts per mission, there will only be 8 astronauts going into space per year. But I think the expectations are that money will appear somehow for a more aggressive Lunar effort. I also think the CEV will be operational before 2014. I also think the US will maintain a presense on ISS until Lunar operations (perhaps because Lunar operations will start 2016-2017 instead of 2018).

radarredux · Sep 11, 2006

> I also think the CEV will be operational before 2014./i> Here is a quote from Lockheed's Orion business development manager for Orion, Patrick McKenzie:<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />We'd like to close the gap after the Shuttle's retirement and skinny the schedule down to test launches in 2012 or even sooner. But the Ares I launch vehicle development process has to come together along with Orion.<hr /></blockquote> http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17482&ch=biztech&sc=&pg=3

willpittenger · Sep 12, 2006

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />I believe, the current plans are to have about 2 Lunar missions per year with no currently planned budgets to support anything beyond that. With only 4 astronauts per mission, there will only be 8 astronauts going into space per year.<hr /></blockquote> That would not be including ISS launches. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

shuttle2moon · Sep 12, 2006

I'd like to see the shuttle stay operational until we are ready to deply the CEV. Guess theres no chance of that tho..

erioladastra · Sep 12, 2006

"I suspect they are not happy about the downtime between the Shuttles' retirement (2010) and the CEV becoming operational (~2014). " Correct. They are really focused on the "will I get a mission" right now. The teacher astronauts are even in a much worse situation - very good chance none beyond Morgan (maybe, maybe 1 more) will fly.

subzero788 · Sep 12, 2006

With a bit of luck they will fly on COTS vehicles during the 2010-2014 gap. And even if COTS fails there will still be a few NASA astronauts (maybe 4-8 per year once the ISS can house a crew of 6) hitching rides on the Soyuz for ISS expeditions. Better than no flights at all I suppose, like it was between Apollo and Shuttle.

mah_fl · Sep 12, 2006

Do all really think CEV will be ready in 2014, it'll be 5 years behind schedule like every thing else..........

erioladastra · Sep 12, 2006

Highly unlikely the educators would get any of those flights.

radarredux · Sep 12, 2006

> That would not be including ISS launches./i> The current plans have the US exiting ISS before the Lunar missions start, so post ISS the current plans only antipate 8 US astronaut flights per year. Once again, I expect that will change.

radarredux · Sep 12, 2006

> Do all really think CEV will be ready in 2014, it'll be 5 years behind schedule like every thing else.../i> I don't think that will be the case this time since the CEV doesn't use wings. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

rfoshaug · Sep 12, 2006

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />I know that they would likley talk the NASA talk in public, but I wondering if the current crop of Astronauts are excited about going "back" to capsules to get to the moon and beyond. I was hoping for some crazy new design, but given time contraints I understand why lockmarts capsule was chosen. <hr /></blockquote> Excited about the possibility of walking on the Moon? They probably are - even if it means they'll have to use a safer vehicle to get there. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> ----------------------------------My minds have many opinions </div>

willpittenger · Sep 12, 2006

I should note that during the Apollo/Shuttle gap, there were probably a whole group of astronauts that graduated -- and then immediately quit when they saw how long it would take to get more than a millimeter away from Terra Firma. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

mattblack · Sep 12, 2006

Surprisngly few actually, but there were some. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America CAN Afford it!! LEO is a Prison -- It's time for a JAILBREAK!! </div>

willpittenger · Sep 13, 2006

You and Mattblack are in disagreement. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

spacefire · Sep 13, 2006

actually, there were some astronauts (scientists) who were supposed to go up in late Apollo missions that were cancelled. Some of them never got to fly in space. See link: http://www.astronautix.com/astros/oleary.htm Btw, Leary left before the end of the Apollo program Quite a character....but not in a good way. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.comhttp://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </div>

subzero788 · Sep 14, 2006

"there were some astronauts (scientists) who were supposed to go up in late Apollo missions that were cancelled. Some of them never got to fly in space." One of them was an Australian, Phil Chapman, from my hometown (Melbourne) who went to the States and got US citizenship. He was selected in 1967 (Group 6) and served as mission scientist for Apollo 14, but left NASA in '72 after never being assigned to a flight. Interestingly, out of the 11 astronauts (nicknamed "The Excess Eleven") selected in Group 6, 7 stayed on with NASA and flew on the shuttle. http://www.astronautix.com/astros/chapman.htm *EDIT: That page on O'Leary made interesting reading. Says he "...resigned from the astronaut corps in 1968 after a dispute over the requirement for scientist-astronauts to take part in what he considered unnecessarily dangerous flight training aboard T-38 aircraft." The guy was preparing for flights to the moon on the largest firework ever created and he's worried about the risks of training in T-38s? That really cracks me up <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

brandbll · Sep 16, 2006

"downtime between the Shuttles' retirement (2010) and the CEV becoming operational (~2014). There may be another 1-2 year downtime between when the US exits the ISS (2016-2017) and then starts Lunar operations (2018). " We are just going to abandon the space station once we start going to the moon? I hope for the sake of wasted money i am misinterpretting you. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> You wanna talk some jive? I'll talk some jive. I'll talk some jive like you've never heard! </div>

jamie_young · Sep 16, 2006

Don't think astronauts care about what the vehicle looks like, so long as it works.

Are the Astronauts excited about post Shuttle lanuches?

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