Space Shutle Flight Deck

[pdub]

This is a pretty neat view of Discovery's flight deck, a 360 panning view shot taken during the decomissioning process on the ground.

So, this is what our tax dollars paid for for all those years. We didn't even know. We're not allowed to see. Look at all the giz-lemetry. Don't forget to pan overhead. There's as much overhead as there as is on the "dashboard."

This is really neat to me. This is what we bought. This is what we paid for, but we sure never got to ride on it. But we paid for it. This is neat, just to see. We bought it, all of us out here working for a living, or trying to...since it's over, we are treated to a look.

http://360vr.com/2011/06/22-discovery-flight-deck-opf_6236/index.html

[studemax]

It's not a ride, and we weren't meant to ride it.
It's a delivery system, a tool - and a darn good one.
Don't know if we got our money's worth, but time will tell....

[JOES66FURY]

neat...reminds me of the flight deck of any damn airplane I have been on in the last 20 years....

the crap the shove in a C-130 flight deck still blows my mind....but what really takes you on a "holy shit" trip is when you pull back all that do-dads and gizmos and see all the wiring..miles and miles of wires...like a 3 ton tub of spaghetti...

[pdub]

Been reading stuff this week...it's an awful shame that so many brilliant people are going to be out of jobs. That's a human story, and a sad one.

But what you said Stude, "if we got our money's worth."

Watching a shuttle launch in person (more than one), it was really awe-inspiring. Look at what humans can do.

But when you get back to it, what can money do?

And NASA is now fishing. What's the next step? Let's go to the moon again, let's go to Mars. What's next?

As adventurous as the whole thing is, it's easy to forget that NASA is just another self-serving government agency. Another one, funded by us.

That's so easy to forget. Forgettable in an instant when they lit the solid boosters on the shuttle. Yes, it was awesome. Fireworks with humans on board.

And that's sad. When I was a kid, and the race to the moon, and stuff, it was all so patriotic. And there was some sort of finish line, a real measurable goal.

That's easy to forget. Too easy to remember at the same time.

[JOES66FURY]

Been reading stuff this week...it's an awful shame that so many brilliant people are going to be out of jobs. That's a human story, and a sad one.

But what you said Stude, "if we got our money's worth."



As adventurous as the whole thing is, it's easy to forget that NASA is just another self-serving government agency. Another one, funded by us.

You said it buddy...

I am not a believer that space exploration is a necessity nor am i a fan of the astronomical budget NASA had.

That money could be funneled into far more useful programs here on earth...

there are those that will argue that all day long...and are ferociously in favor of NASA and space exploration....more power to them I guess...I just don't get it.

[Barry Donovan]

alien.

it came back with them. last chance to get to earth.

[Thumpin455]

Just a little something to put it in perspective. I think we should be spending more in space, but not just the USA. It should be the entire world working together and forgetting all the petty BS and conflict. Here on Earth we are one big rock away from extinction, I would rather the human species continued past any catastrophe here on Earth.

[pdub]

Boxer, I know that's official NASA video, but I think the little yellow guy was maybe photoshopped into there. You might want to check into it.

[pdub]

Thump,

A hearty discussion indeed. And it could go south toward political in a heartbeat, but I don't think it has, other than my jab at NASA being self-serving.

So, in the morning, really, when we get out of bed and put our feet on the floor, there in the house, waking up and getting out of bed, what can we thank NASA for when our feet hit the floor?

That's the part I can't see, and I'm probably blind to it, whatever it is.

[JOES66FURY]

their budget could be 50 bucks and it would be $49.99 too much IMO...

Lots of arguments saying that cutting the budget from NASA would not help any social programs, education programs or make any difference to the economy...But I just ain't buying it...



I want to know what we have done in space that has improved life here in the good ol' USA since the moon landing. We learned some things...but really...did we have to know it...was it worth the trillions spent to learn those things...

but that is a topic that borders political and I don't want this thread to go bad....

[Thumpin455]

If you want to find the info all you have to do is look for it.

http://www.nasa.gov/50th/innovation/

[SuperBuickGuy]

it is worth it. PW - I'd challenge you to find something you use everyday that wasn't either created through space programs, or improved by the space program. It's one of those "bang for the buck" programs that has paid us back many many times over.

[BOOOGHAR]

because of the space program is why you will find Tang in my pantry

[daved931]

FWIW, the driving force behind the shuttle program was two-fold:

1) Reusable equipment
2) Snatch Russian satellites out of orbit

Initially, the government had planned to do military shuttle missions that were to be launched from Vandenberg AFB. They even built a launch pad and vehicle assembly building there. I don't believe they ever actually launched a shuttle mission from there and after the fleet was grounded following the whole Challenger debacle, it was decided to perform all launches at Cape Canaveral.



Was there a payout for going to the moon or having a space program in general? I would say that's hard to quantify.

There were certainly some neat developments that came of it, like scratch resistant lenses, flame retardant materials, composites, memory foam, UV-blocking sunglasses, etc.

This may be corny and trite, but one of the best by-products may have been national pride.

[LORENSWIFE]

Thump,

A hearty discussion indeed. And it could go south toward political in a heartbeat, but I don't think it has, other than my jab at NASA being self-serving.

So, in the morning, really, when we get out of bed and put our feet on the floor, there in the house, waking up and getting out of bed, what can we thank NASA for when our feet hit the floor?

That's the part I can't see, and I'm probably blind to it, whatever it is.

I would like to thank Nasa for the moon landing

My mom and sister and I, on our way back from camping at Bass Lake had the radio on in the Studebaker Lark that she drove. She had the radio on cuz she was a pretty cool Mom. She was listening for when they would get out of the lunar module and step on the ground. As the time got close she started looking for any place that might have a TV. There happened to be a bar along the road somewhere on California 99. She sweet-talked the bar person to let her bring her two little girls in to see this most historic event.
My sister Nancy, Mom and I watched that "small step" together in a dimly lit bar along a hot dusty highway. I will never forget that, if I close my eyes I can see it all.

~Gail