For over 25 years I have enjoyed taking my, then small children, to Cape Canaveral to watch the space shuttle launch. I can remember taking my children to see the first women to go into space aboard the shuttle, Sally Ride. I watched our senator Bill Nelson go, I watched teachers and our dedicated men and women at NASA soar.
It just does not seem real that a strong part of American history and space exploraion is coming to an end. Well, it is. There is only 2 launches left before something we Americans have had so much pride in will go to the Smithsonian and other places to be looked at and have children wonder what it was.
It is a very sad moment for space exploration. In 2003 Nasa published a booklet called
Communications satellite technology
Medical monitoring systems used in intensive care units
The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system for ensuring food safety
The NASTRAN software system for computerized design
Space-based beacon locators used in satellite-based search and rescue systems
Use of thin grooves in concrete airport runways and highways to improve drainage and reduce hydroplaning
Advances in hydroponics (growing crops using water rather than soil to support plants)
Improved hurricane forecasting and wildfire tracking using Earth-observing satellites
Developments in microelectromechanical systems (extremely small devices and sensors about the diameter of a human hair)
Combustion research that has improved the performance of jet engines
Suspension techniques used by animal researchers
A new light source now used to improve chemotherapy treatment for cancer patients
Needle-based biopsies used in breast cancer diagnosis
Bioreactors (devices used to turn cell cultures into functional tissue)
Lifeshears (a hand-held shearing tool used by rescue workers to free people trapped in cars or underneath rubble)
Now how does this effect the Space Coast area? NASA and the company that supports NASA is planning on laying off 9000 skilled workers. The surrounding service industry expects to be losing another 15,000 jobs.
Yesterday at the Space Center complex they hosted a job fair with 36 employers present to help the space workers relocate(only available for space shuttle employees). The sad news for the Space Coast is that all employers were out of the area. So... we will be losing families, our home inventory will go up and high paying jobs will not be replaced in our area.
Very sad. Our future outlook looks a little dimmer from earth AND from space.
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