My delight with space isn’t a recent phenomenon connected solely with my employment in a space oriented business. I’ve been enamored with space and space travel since I was a kid.
Forty years ago, I did my 8th grade year-long report on the history of the American space program. I remember how jealous I was when a classmate wrote to the White House and received an invitation from President Nixon to attend the launch of Apollo 16.
I’ve made no secret of my distain for the United States’ lack of homegrown transportation to the International Space Station (ISS). So, imagine my disgust when I saw it announced online that the Russian rocket Soyuz had another issue.
Back in August 2011, an unmanned Russian Progress cargo craft using a Soyuz rocket, which was destined for the ISS, crashed. It didn’t even reach orbit. As result, we had to wait for a thorough investigation before we sent any U.S. astronauts to the station.
Now, there’s another issue. The return capsule of the Soyuz craft failed a factory leak test; it cracked. I’m not a rocket scientist, but even I know a crack in a spaceship is a bad thing. This was supposed to be the vehicle that would bring the astronauts home from the ISS. NASA says this latest setback won’t extend the current mission an inordinate amount of time, but our reliance on the Russians makes me ill.
I know American have had our share of space related problems; I get that. But that’s not my issue. I’m peeved that we don’t control our own destiny in regards to space travel. The fact we don’t have our own transportation to the ISS, and won’t for a number of years is extremely shortsighted. It’s an ongoing issue. We’re losing our edge in space!
What do you think about this whole debacle?
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