I am part of an air and space family. My childhood is filled with the sounds of sonic booms and smell of jet fuel in the air. We had tons of books on being pilots and astronauts, and I bet NASA was the first acronym I learned. My brothers and I really wanted to walk on the moon.
And then we grew up.
You go to school and find out that you need to have a “real” job…and that not all of us have the math skills to get to space. My brother actually could, he’s a rocket scientist. So one-out-of-three seems like good odds.
Then you read the news. No more return trips to the moon for NASA astronauts. Times are changing, and the childhood dream can’t be accomplished through this mighty organization anymore.
During my time in D.C., I saw what was happening to talent at NASA. Engineers who may have made that first landing possible are still there. And yet the organization isn’t keeping up by bringing in new talent. Sure, there are new hires, but not in large enough numbers to make the organization sustainable. Also, NASA can’t compete anymore. If young engineers know that there are slim chances of promotions (because no one is retiring), then they’re likely to go into the private sector where there’s more movement and more money.
There’s a new spirit of St. Louis out there. In the Flight! Gallery at the St. Louis Science Center, there is a display of the Ansari X Prize competition. In 2004, the X Prize Foundation awarded $10 million to Scaled Composites for their craft SpaceShipOne. Walking up and down the hall of this exhibit, all of a sudden you are reminded of the grown-up version of the science fair.
Literally, you look at the entries and think, “Wow, these are engineers who said, ‘Screw it, I’m not growing up. If I want to go to space, I’m going to find a way to make it happen.’”
My kind of passion.
The playing field has been leveled even more. Today, an article was posted that Obama is going to be opening up space programs to be more entrepreneur-friendly. I’m not sure how this will impact all the big businesses involved, but as someone familiar with federal contracting, the procurement world will be rocked by opening up bidding doors.
With this news, I hope to see a version of Star Fleet making space exploration an everyday occurrence, something you don’t have to read an aeronautical journal to hear about. That those engineers sitting around thinking beyond-the-stars thoughts get a chance to go out of orbit.
If you could go to the moon, would you? Do you think we can take back our childhood dreams? Does the entrepreneurial spirit keep us from being jaded grown-ups?
Photo from clipart.
This makes me think of how I watched Apollo 13 so much on VHS that it broke. I really think that entrepreneurship keeps these dreams alive – for sure. I wasn’t aware of Obama’s decision about this so thanks for keeping me updated. My one concern is energy supply (environmentalist over here, guilty.) but I think opening things up could spur some innovation in the “green” direction too. Great post!
Apollo 13 is a favorite in our family…and of course anything with Tom Hanks. It’s funny, I’ve been working on this post for a month or so, and the news this week seemed like perfect timing.
So, I don’t know much about energy supply constrictions when it comes to space exploration, I imagine that when you open up the innovative space, you might find alternate means. While competition isn’t always fun, it does seem to breed innovation, and we could find all new discoveries in science, engineering, and energy that we weren’t expecting. Maybe we’ll be like the Jetsons after all!
Emily,
I wouldn’t even think twice about going to the moon if I got a chance. I recently stumbled across a job posting for a software developer to go to Antarctica for a year to take care of the computers at the South Pole and to sift through data in the winter so that only the important stuff got sent back over the satellite link. It took me about 2 seconds to decide to apply. I doubt I’ll get it, but the thought is there.
Also, one of the industries that I kicked around wanting to pursue a job in was the space industry. Have you followed the space elevator competition at all? It’s kind of cool and there are start-ups that seriously consider this a business. http://bit.ly/ava2MU
As for NASA, when a wrench costs 30+ Million (don’t know the actual number but it is always quoted as being ridiculous) and you never bothered to find a cheaper alternative, I have no pity for your programs being cut. It just can’t be worth that price tag.
Luke
WOW! Antarctica would be pretty neat…though, hopefully you wouldn’t be totally by yourself. I imagine there’s a team…though you could get sick of each other too 🙂 Sorry, sidetracked!
I’ve seen a bit about the space elevator, and I think these competitions are so neat. Opening up opportunities might take out the expensive inefficiencies as you point out, and procurement can be time consuming. If tests can’t be done due to red tape, this may make experimentation easier for the private sector. You need to fail a few times, and I don’t know if there’s always that option in more formal federal arrangements.
The space bug was definitely in our family too, though my brother was WAY more into it than I was…and he’s a rocket scientist too! (Though now he directs a jet propulsion lab, but anyway – sounds like we both have smart brothers!)
I think allowing free enterprise is the only solution that makes sense. NASA has been stagnating for so long. I also don’t believe our gov’t dollars should be going to space exploration (or needless wars) when we can’t give every child a good education or provide quality healthcare. NASA is wonderful for capturing childhood dreams, but it’s a “nice to have” as far as gov’t programs go.
My brother’s in missiles now (I think), and I don’t understand what he and my dad talk about when they talk “shop.”
I think the trend I’m noticing from these comments is that the government really doesn’t have the flexibility for this program anymore, and you’re right, is it really a priority for the government? Satellites maybe, but again, there’s a lot you can get out of the private sector. I’ll be interested in seeing what happens as time goes on…
Hi Emily, this is a very good article (again) & relevant to lots of people. I personally was born in 1969 & the first moon landings had happened. It is a landmark of my birth year as well as the Woodstock ‘Hippy’ festivals & many other events. Your article is about nostalgia, dreams & hopes. I am going to write about a totally different matter regarding the moon.
On the moon quite near the surface is a chemical compound called Helium 3 or He3 & it is found in abundance, there should be vast amounts down under the surface. This compound is found on Earth but in very small quantities. It is a vital component that is needed for us to create ‘Nuclear Fusion’ which is not ‘Nuclear Fission’ (a nuclear explosion).
Nuclear Fusion is controlled explosions of atoms & a bit like the sun ~ ever-lasting energy. Humans are very close to making this but only in small laboratory scale at the moment. The technology & know how is there.
If Western Governments want to create ever-lasting energy, be sure that space operations to the moon will become common place.
As for the time scale of when this will actually happen I don’t know. But it will not be too far into the future.
Hi again, I already new about what I wrote but to make it easy for you to find out about what I have just written & the technologies feasibility, here is the google search link about this: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4TSEE_enGB344GB344&ei=qR9rS8PbBqj60wSQ1a3RBA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAYQBSgA&q=elements+on+moon+for+nuclear+fusion&spell=1 All the best, Steve x.
This is a better Google search with lots more sites about the subject, but you can do them yourself. To get this one I typed [mining helium 3 on the moon] into a Google search & seems to have the subject well covered http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=0&oq=Helium+3+on+the+moon&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4TSEE_enGB344GB344&q=mining+helium+3+on+the+moon Enjoy learning about it all. Steve x.
Wow Steve, thanks for the comments and scientific information. I know that I had seen projects from the chemistry team at William and Mary learning about chemical properties on Mars when I was in undergrad. I know most of us usually only think about life on other planets, but you bring up other good information: there are resources that we should learn about. Now I don’t really feel like we can go mining other planets, but studying, yes. I like the idea of learning how to create compounds as a substitute to help us. It may help us think of other alternates. Thanks for sharing!
I’d definitely give up a little bone density to travel to outer space. Who wouldn’t?!
I think if space travel does become a more common thing, there will definitely be many restrictions based on age, level of health, income… etc
My only worry is not the first private organizations who want to get into space travel, it is the ones after who also want to jump on the boat. I would be a little worried about “calculation errors”
Great post. Im going to spend the whole afternoon daydreaming.
I think you’re right Bryan, some kind of moderation is required. That gets into global regulations, and it will be interesting to see…good luck with the daydreaming!
Funny that the #u30pro digest linked to your blog post and I read it on the day that I attended Houston’s Social Media Breakfast where some of the NASA social media folk were speaking. There are no coincidences in life right?
Reading some of the comments and your blog post were definitely eyeopening that NASA really does need to do a better job of making themselves relevant to us all and explaining what they do other than just going to the moon. There’s no way that telecommunications would have progressed as quickly as it did without a lot of the work done by NASA – I’m sure there’s plenty of everyday things we all enjoy that were put into place thanks to this govt program. Not that they haven’t made wasteful mistakes like any govt program and could use some improvement. Check out http://www.opnennasa.com, their new site about making the space program a collaborative affair.
Anyway, just had to share a little and defend my Houston pride 🙂 As far as answering your questions – we can always go back to our childhood dreams but just maybe update them to fit who and where we are currently. Want to go to the moon? Maybe that isn’t going to happen but how about Twittering back and forth with the guys that are hanging out up there right now!
I love how there’s so much relevancy from your own background. I think there’s a lot that has been done to improve overall science, not just moon visits. And I wouldn’t want to discredit that, but I love to see the collaboration. Thanks Ashley!
oops that’s http://www.opennasa.com 🙂