The end of an era...
I did get to watch the final space shuttle launch on my iPhone via NASA mobile streaming service.
As others have said, we need something new. The space shuttle was a wonderful tool and groundbreaking 30 years ago. But it hasn't been providing NEW in terms of exploration in decades (outside of on board science experiments) - it has been an extraterrestrial workhorse, taxi, and repair vehicle.
Commercial space travel can take the place of the shuttle and its current functions. And probably cheaper. And more accessible.
What commercial enterprises are unlikely to do is to explore new frontiers. The profit isn't in it in ways that commercial venture capitalists tend to exploit. Until/unless near FTL travel is made possible, we can't rely on businesses to push the horizon beyond our orbit. What we need is NASA (probably in collaboration with other governments' agencies) to create new technologies that will show us how to explore beyond Terra's neighborhood.
In the words of Buzz Lightyear, "To infinity - and beyond!"
As others have said, we need something new. The space shuttle was a wonderful tool and groundbreaking 30 years ago. But it hasn't been providing NEW in terms of exploration in decades (outside of on board science experiments) - it has been an extraterrestrial workhorse, taxi, and repair vehicle.
Commercial space travel can take the place of the shuttle and its current functions. And probably cheaper. And more accessible.
What commercial enterprises are unlikely to do is to explore new frontiers. The profit isn't in it in ways that commercial venture capitalists tend to exploit. Until/unless near FTL travel is made possible, we can't rely on businesses to push the horizon beyond our orbit. What we need is NASA (probably in collaboration with other governments' agencies) to create new technologies that will show us how to explore beyond Terra's neighborhood.
In the words of Buzz Lightyear, "To infinity - and beyond!"