Space Shuttle Tribute

As we approach the launch of the next to last Space Shuttle flight, I’m left with many thoughts. First off, I feel I should express just how proud I am as an American of the Shuttle program. Space exploration is, in my opinion, one of the most important things that we can take part in as the human race. Space exploration has taught us so many things about our world and about other worlds that we would otherwise never have learned about.

I think a fair number of Americans (I can’t speak for other nations) feel that the space program has been a waste of money with little to show, and this fact saddens me. Most people don’t seem to understand that so many of the things they have nowadays are because of mankind’s journeys to the cosmos and the experiments conducted while there. Modern day conveniences that we all take for granted (such as the laptop I’m currently typing on) owe a lot of their technology to things developed for the various space programs over the years. The question that pops into my head though is what happens next?

I’m sad in particular to see the Shuttle program close up shop for a variety of reasons. I think part of it has to do with the fact that while growing up, the Space Shuttle was the ultimate of childhood fantasies for many people my age. It’s the spacecraft of my generation I suppose, and I think that it’s passing makes it feel like a part of my childhood is passing.

Most importantly though, I think that the Space Shuttle was instrumental in the continuation of manned spaceflight. It changed the way the average person looked at spaceflight. Though it was never a routine thing to travel into space aboard the shuttle (or any spacecraft for that matter), the Shuttle program almost made it seem that way. It was (and is) such a technological marvel. It was also hugely important in the construction of the ISS, which is another project I’m superbly proud of as a human being. The Space Shuttle was able to ferry people and cargo up to the ISS in a way no other spacecraft could (or can) do. It was a revolution in spacecraft design that I don’t think we will see again in our lifetimes though I hope I’m wrong.

Before anyone says it, yes I’m aware that the Shuttle & ISS are both objects of controversy. Many think that both are a big waste of money, and too unsafe. I respectfully disagree. The Shuttle was, in my opinion, the next logical step from the successes of the Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury programs not to mention the various Russian programs over the years. The STS has given astronauts a solid, and for the most part reliable, method of traveling to and from space. It has allowed them to conduct an array of experiments and research that could never have been done previously, and it was instrumental in the creation and construction of the ISS, which has allowed us to perform an even greater amount of research and experimentation since it has been in orbit. The ISS could be considered one of the STS program’s crowning achievements, and certainly as a result, the relations of the countries taking part on the ISS are better.

Take note that I also realize the importance of the Russian Soyuz program to both the ISS and space exploration in general. I am in no way implying that the Space Shuttle is the sole reason the ISS exists so please don’t misunderstand my reasoning. I’m simply an American who is expressing his gratitude of what the Space Shuttle program has provided for the United States and the world.

Despite the controversy, I’m immensely proud of what the STS program has achieved and what it represents. Sure it was dangerous. All manned spaceflight has always been dangerous. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool. Should we just close up all programs and stop exploring because we are afraid? I certainly don’t think so, and I don’t think any of the members of the crews of Challenger, Columbia, Apollo 1, etc. would agree with that idea.

I sincerely hope that we don’t lose sight of just how important space exploration is to our planet. If the day comes that we stop exploring or trying to learn what all is out there, beyond our planet’s wonderful surface, then it will be a sad day indeed.

So I salute the Space Shuttle program…for 30 years it has provided a good foundation for man’s exploration of the cosmos (& Earth). To all those who helped create, design, engineer, crew, or otherwise work on the Shuttle, thank you for what you’ve done. You all have my utmost respect and gratitude.