Bush Speech and Space Camp
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 10:26 pm
Well this Wednesday president Bush is expected to make a speech that sets a goal of returning to the moon and going onto mars. And i was just thinking today that it seems like space camp had good timing in putting a deep space mission to the moon and mars in as part of some of their programs. But the other part of the speech is also saying that the shuttle will be retired after the space station is completed and the OSP is flying. So i was just thinking what will space camp do with its shuttle simulators when the shuttle is retired and what will they replace them with. At that point the space station will be taking top priority until the actual flights to the moon and mars assuming they actiually get the funding. The osp will be serving as the transport too and from the station so i wonder if space camp will create a osp simulator for trainees to use to get to the station mockup or what they will do. Just some thoughts i had today anyone else have any?
Right now NASA has no replacement for the STS so it is not a big problem for a couple of years. Plus most of they experimental replacements have failed. Also the basics of the STS and the replacement will be about the same going to and from ISS. 
Space Camp could upgrade the software, internal hardware, and tweaking things so that the old model is like a hybrid. Then later on worry about doing a full replacement when the money is available. With present changes it will not be as noticeable with the enclosed environment. The trainees would know that these are old technology but Space Camp could come with a story like that only the Enterprise can fix the satellite (Itazl). All knew technology would overload it circuits, etc.