When I was asked to write an opinion piece on whether the space shuttle program was worth the cost, I immediately agreed because I have a significant bias toward justifying the program that has dominated my career at NASA. However, because I am very interested in accurately describing the legacy of the shuttle program, I have attempted to make an objective evaluation.
As the crew of Atlantis and their controllers go through—one more time—the complex, demanding, yet rewarding process of conducting the final space shuttle mission, it is appropriate to reflect on the legacy left to us from the years of designing, building and flying this amazing machine.
Since the space shuttle Columbia roared aloft with John Young and Robert Crippen on the STS-1 mission 30 years ago (left), NASA's fleet of winged human spacecraft has produced a huge gallery of images, many of them unimaginable before they were taken and unforgettable afterward. As Atlantis completes the 135th shuttle mission since the first launch on April 12, 1981, here is a small sample from the archives, selected to give an idea of the historic advances the shuttles enabled, and what it was like for the men and women who flew in them.
Wanted: New astronauts. Must like tight spaces, long trips, commercial travel, foreign languages. Limited opportunities available. If NASA were to take out a classified advertisement, it might read something like that, now that the last space shuttle mission, STS-135, is heralding the end of an era. As Atlantis lifted off July 8, NASA managers were busy outlining their vision for the astronaut corps, from when they will be hired to what they will do.
Scaled Composites is exploring potential development options for a twin-fuselage, hybrid-powered aircraft that could prove to be a practical solution to the long-held dream of a flying car. Dubbed the Model 367 BiPod, the two-seat vehicle is configured with removable wings, stabilizer and tail tips to enable swift conversion into a road vehicle. Seating one person per fuselage, the BiPod is designed to be driven like a car from the left-hand cockpit and flown as an aircraft from the right side.
One of the criticisms of China's policy in aerospace is that it focuses on glamor rather than profit. And it is true that the government and its manufacturers do pour public funds into high-profile projects to make complete aircraft, even though it might be more profitable to focus on the duller but serious business of making parts and supplying services to the global industry. In fact, China is doing both. While the state is chasing headlines and glory and deferring profits, private enterprise is just chasing the money.
Amy Butler (Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. )
The multinational Joint Strike Fighter drew fire last year from all sides, including its international customers, the U.S. Congress and—most publicly—then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates owing to ballooning cost, delayed deliveries and unacceptably slow testing progress. Gates admonished prime contractor Lockheed Martin by withholding more than $600 million of award fee, fired the project's two-star general officer, and slowed the development and production portions of the F-35, the largest single aviation program in Pentagon history. Seven months into 2011, Vice Adm.
Ankara has big plans for its domestic defense production and increasingly NATO's southeastern ally wants not only to develop the local defense industry but to be a factor in the international market.
July 25-31—Experimental Aviation Association's Airventure Oshkosh (Wis.). Wittman Regional Airport. Call +1 (920) 426-4800 or see www.airventure.org July 26-27—American Association of Airline Executives' Seventh Annual Aviation Air Quality Conference. Embassy Suites Portland (Ore.) Downtown. Also, July 31-Aug. 2—Northeast Chapter Winter Operations and Deicing Conference and Exhibition. Renaissance Hotel, Seattle. See www.aaae.org
The last flight of the space shuttle provides a historic tribute to the outstanding achievements of NASA's astronauts, engineers, scientists, technicians and managers during four decades of the shuttle era. While the shuttle program effectively is over, the debate “Was it worth it?” is not (see pp. 70 and 72). Critics often point to the 14 lives lost in the Challenger and Columbia accidents and the enormous cost—more than $175 billion. The high cost and flight risks eventually led to the retirement of the shuttle, leaving the U.S. without a way to reach space on its own.
Singapore Airlines, whose fleet includes 12 Airbus A380s, is the No. 1-ranked mainline carrier in Aviation Week's Top-Performing Airlines study. Philippines-based Cebu Air is the highest-ranked in the low-cost/niche carrier category, and Australia's Regional Express Holdings is once again the top regional. Analysis and the full TPA study rankings begin on page 40. Singapore Airlines photo by Sim Kok Chwee.
John Slosar, CEO of Cathay Pacific, states that the Emissions Trading System (ETS) “is just an ordinary tax” (AW&ST June 13, p. 26). I wish it were so. The basis for the ETS has yet to be confirmed and, scientifically, it would make more sense if the European Union imposed a tax on milk consumed by airline passengers during flights into and out of the EU. At least this type of tax would be seen for what it truly is. Westminster, Colo.
Three recent articles in one issue (AW&ST June 27, pp. 22, 41 and 42) illustrate that the U.S. is about to make a strategic mistake in ending the shuttle program. “Space Standoff,” “Cooperative Kerfuffle” and “Setback” all imply the consequences of ending the STS program while prematurely banking on the transition to the commercial crew and Multipurpose Crew Vehicle/Satellite Landing System (MPCV/SLS) efforts.
“Painful Lessons” (AW&ST June 6, p. 36) regarding information from the recorders recovered from the Air France Flight 447 crash reminds me of my letter to the editor (AW&ST July 6, 2009, p. 8) proposing that recorders send data in real time to ground stations, ensuring it is neither lost forever nor buried for two years. Information could be retrieved promptly. Technology for real-time data transmission is, I believe, within reach.
I noticed the rearmost Air Berlin jet on a recent cover (AW&ST May 30) has the registration: D-AERO. Reminds me of all the custom license plates we see here in California! San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Re: Congressional Editor Jen DiMascio's Aviation DAILY post “Killing BizJet Tax Break May Get GOP Support”: Dave in Rio Rancho writes: Things like this are why Congress has an approval rating below 20%. 123xyz opines:
Defense Editor Amy Butler's Aviation Week.com post “Boeing Liable For KC-46 Overage” drew extensive comments, including: Paladin noting: This is standard A&D industry procedure: should be cost versus price to win. Amigo 500 asking: Anyone seriously think Boeing won't make this $300 million up in MRO? and ikkeman taking the jocular route:
Clay Moran (see photo) has been appointed engineering director of the advanced coating and repair operation at Chromalloy, Orangeburg, N.Y. He was VP-engineering at Energy Storage and Power.
Linda Hillmer has been named head of the Small Business Div. of the National Defense Industry Association, Arlington, Va. She was CEO and president of Defense Department consulting firm CorpComm.
Michael Brunskill has joined Pelican Products, Torrance, Calif., as director of customer service. He was VP-customer operations for Source Refrigeration.
Trevor Jones (see photo) has become director of client relations at Gama Aviation Ltd., headquartered at Farnborough (England) Airport; Stratford, Conn.; and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. He was managing director of Manhattan Jet Charter Ltd.
Bertrand Dumazy has been named CEO of Deutsch Group, owned by French company Wendel and based in New York. He succeeds Jean Marie Painvin, who will become chairman in charge of acquisitions and partnerships. Dumazy was CFO of Neopost Group.
Patrick Bloodworth has been appointed aeronautical business development director for SkyNet Satellite Communications USA, Houston. He comes to SkyNet with more than 25 years of experience in new-technology system sales, customer training and program management.
Paul Lu (see photo) has become director of product support for Asia for Savannah, Ga.-based Gulfstream Aerospace. He was program manager in Southern California for the G650.
