RIP NASA Manned Space

[unixronin]

On the seventh anniversary of the fall of Columbia, President Obama has just de-facto killed NASA Manned Space.

I have no words.

Wait, yes, I do.

"Burn in hell."

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UPDATE:

I note that Bill Gawne (wcg) linked to an article er, quoted a NASA release pointing out that although the entire Constellation program is being axed and there is no other NASA manned booster presently left in line to replace the Shuttle, the shuttle is going to fly out its final five planned missions, and NASA plans to develop a future launch program more capable than Constellation (and hopefully with less reliance on the Morton-Thiokol solid boosters).  So the picture is not as black as the news reports first made it appear.  It's not the end-of-NASA-manned-space that the news reports made it out to be.  (I won't speculate on the reasons, but it's entirely possible they simply didn't understand.)

It is still almost the most callously insensitive timing possible.  To make the announcement now is, IMHO, a slap in the face to everyone who picked up after Columbia and said "We can go on, we can overcome this and do better."

Comments

[ithildae]

I did note the date. I am not surprised. President Obama has far too many spending priorities that have nothing to do with science or learning. I have no adequate words to express my disappointment. I want to be a citizen of a nation with Vision and a sense of excitement for the future, and what we can learn there. This takes a great deal of that away from that, for me.