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Post-Shuttle?
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:43 pm
by DanM
I think this has been brought up numerous times on here, but what are they gonna do post shuttle? Are they gonna do Orion once (or if) it starts?
It might be cool if they could set up historical tracks, like, Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo, but that would make for interesting team sizes, or a mission every day.
Another (half-kidding) idea is a Soviet Track, where you fly a Soyuz, and it's like AC, but communist and you go to space.
EDIT: I have no clue how "Soyuz" became bold

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:10 pm
by SpaceCanada
We had Russian Progress module dockings with the ISS when I did the 8-day adult programme in 2004. (I think they were outfitting a simulator to a Russian Soyuz at the time too. Did they abandon this idea, or is it still there?) Space Camp has lunar and Mars missions of some sort. I think they expanded on them recently to go with the Moon and Mars initiatives.
I can see the existing programme still being popular after the shuttle retires. After all, it is the system kids today know about and will learn about for quite some time.
When NASA really knows which direction they will be taking, we may hear some hard answers about Space Camp's future direction. Until then, speculation could cost the Centre a lot of money they don't have. Making simulators for Orion may be wasteful if NASA chooses to do something else. I wish NASA would get off their fencepost and make some decisions already... Until then, two more missions await... October and February.
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:20 pm
by Boomerang
Space camp is currently or atleast was working earlier this year to build a lunar base mockup for lunar type missions. The plan was to turn Discovery or the original Endeavour into a generic capsule type vehicle for these missions. This however was several months ago and i have seen no update or heard any more word on this since. Not sure if the idea might change now since NASA is getting away from the idea of returning to the moon and looking more at asteroids and Mars. Space camo and maybe academy not sure on academy do a mars mission already but that idea could certainly be expanded. The ISS modules or atleast most of them are still there and in many cases it seems the excess ones ot used for anything were bing removed to make it a better looking set up i would guess will be the focus of things in the future post shuttle with capsule type vehicles geting the campers their much like the current nasa plans. As to the moon base idea i guess we have to wait and see. Space camp has not been updating alumni very well in the last couple of years but i and a few others are working on a plan to change this look for more info on that to come sometime following the hall of fame this year.