A recent feed from Aljazeera covered the return of the space shuttle Atlantis and the end of the NASA shuttle program. (http://english.aljazeera.net//news/americas/2011/07/20117215316421383.html) The author comments in the article that this move now leaves Russia as the only country that can travel to the space station. Further, the author mentions that the U.S. is looking to private industry to develop our next vehicle to conduct space travel.
While reading this I couldn't help but wonder how we haven't come up with something faster, more powerful, or more efficient over the last 3 decades. We have made tremendous leaps in all areas of technology and industry, yet we are still traveling to space in basically the same craft the astronauts flew in the 1980's. Cars today can tell you where you are, how to get to wherever you want to go, and even park themselves. Certainly, some of the brilliant minds that have made that happen should be able to engineer a better space craft.
The question asked by the author of the feed is why hasn't the U.S. pursued this new option before the retirement of the shuttle program? Why indeed? Has the end of the Cold War really killed our drive to be the leader in space exploration, or has it just taken a back seat to bigger issues? I really don't know. Our society has reaped the benefits of many inventions that were byproducts of the space program and I don't think we would be where we are technologically without it. I would love to hear your thoughts/comments on this topic. Please feel free to respond.
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