Blog Who_ing, Rememberance, and a Rant to an END

The day has come ----

Anything at Anytime is SOOOOooooo near the 100 followers mark it isn't even funny.

So, I guess this is the day I ask all that follow me to give me a big, Big assist and get you all to see if you can help me do a bit of what we have all come to call "Blog Whoring"......

I have been sitting at the 90s up and down for some time but this is the nearest I have been to breaking the 100 level.

With a bit of your help and suggestions to those that follow you I would ask that you Look in and find one of your Favorites that I have written and posted here on this site and link to it and ask them to look around and follow if they like what they see.

From reading all of you that have gotten there and been near the mark that first 100 is something we Really truly enjoy.  Its like running and completing your first Marathon, or the first time you tied your shoes on your own, or that first kiss that just..... Well, I think you get THAT idea.


Now for something that was missed Yesterday and  a SAD Ending today!

Yesterday was the 42nd Anniversary for Apollo 11 -- Landing on the Moon - the First time MAN set foot on a Planetary object other than Earth!

The courage of those associated with that program and those on the flight brings back thoughts of the mariners that sailed the oceans not knowing what awaited them.

So, a Salute to those that made it happen and gave DREAMS to SO MANY --- THANK YOU ALL!

Buzz Aldrin performing maintenance
and The Eagle

Today STS-135 Landed.  STS-135 is the last Flight of the Space Shuttle(s) - there will be No More!

These are the Lucky Few that got to take that last Flight
and in my opinion
Have a Special Place in History

STS-135 Landing for the Last time

As a Child (relatively Newborn as I was only 7 1/2 months old) I was (as told by my Mother) placed before the TV to see the Moon Landing.

Maybe, just Maybe it was due to that, that I have always found a desire to go up there, be there.

It is a Sad thought that now, we have NO real means READY to take the place of the Shuttle and put us up in the regions we belong.
Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty to do and learn here on Planet Earth.
But.........
Our Future is Space!
Our Future is to Explore our Solar System with more Manned Flights as the Sailors of the past.  Space is our Ocean of Exploration and it Drives Technological advances far beyond normal expectations.

We as a People - Mankind (as a Whole) needs to do this and be there.

25 yrs of Service for the Shuttles -- two major accidents (out of how many Missions) that sadly lives were lost....... Isn't that what Exploration is?  Knowing there could be cost, even catastrophic ones?
But, we still go on to explore and learn from those before us.

Why, WHY have we not worked on a replacement/improvement to the Shuttle Program that could have gone active at the end of the Shuttles' uses?

Now, we are left to rely on either other Countries or Private Companies to come up with the means.  Some of that could lead to Good things because some of the Best improvements have come from the Private Sector, but at what Cost?  I am not talking about Personnel loss/cost but Monetary Cost....

We need to form a Collective - a Collective of Science and Engineering that will work together for the Sole purpose of Space Exploration --- Damn the Nationalities and the Whose Country Governs!
All Scientists and Engineers in the field working together Under No Specific Government.  Yet All Governments responsible for the safety and protection of said Grouping.

We DO NOT Live in a PERFECT WORLD!
However, if we could get the Scientists and Engineers from around the World working together, could that not be a lesson to ALL of us from?

We NEED to be back into Space on a regular basis and not just floating around in our own immediate little corner.  The International Space Station is a start but we need to go further - MUCH Further!

I know this is turning into one of my RANTS but this has also been a DREAM of Mine for YEARS.......

There used to be a show called "1999" or something similar to that - and guess where they had the scientists and engineers gathered for it?  A sizable space station on the MOON --- It is still doable today.  More so than when the creators of the show imagined it.  The means are here for us to do it today.

Why haven't we done it?
Ask our Governments.

A station like that on the moon could mean -- better training for Astronauts/Cosmonauts in actual environments they would be dealing with, a Launch site that could be used to Launch many different types of Manned Missions further out and beyond........
The Things WE could learn just blows the imagination out of this World.

Sorry, but my Rant on what I feel is a Sad day for MANKIND with the Ending of the Space Shuttle Program.
NASA has done a Fantastic job with what they had available...... But, WE can do so much more and this should not have been allowed to end.

Hope You ALL have a Great Day!
Danny