The end of the Shuttle programme has left the US in danger of squandering decades of space achievement, former astronauts Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan have told the US Senate Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
The 81-year old space grandee Armstrong criticised the fact that getting to the International Space Station (ISS) meant hitching a lift on decades-old technology, Russia's Soyuz, in order to make the journey,
"For a country that has invested so much for so long to achieve a leadership position in space exploration and exploitation, this condition is viewed by many as lamentably embarrassing and unacceptable," Armstrong said.
"A lead, however earnestly and expensively won, once lost, is nearly impossible to regain." He warned.
Armstrong's sentiments as the first human being to walk on the moon in 1969 were backed up a similar contribution from Eugene Cernan, 77, the last man to have stood on its surface in 1972.
"Today, we are on a path of decay. We are seeing the book close on five decades of accomplishment as the leader in human space exploration," said Cernan.
"You want a launch vehicle today that will service the ISS? We've got it sitting down there," Cernan added, referring to the Space Shuttle. "So before we put it in a museum, let's make use of it. It's in the prime of its life, how could we just put it away?"
The Space Shuttle was cancelled in 2004 by President George Bush a move that never looked likely to be reversed by his successor Barack Obama given the state of US finances. Part of the problem has been agreeing on the goal of space exploration, with opinions divided on a return to the moon, a more ambitious journey to Mars and deep-space scientific exploration using probes.
Poignantly, only a fortnight ago NASA published the clearest images yet of the Apollo 11 and 17 landing sites reached by Armstrong and Cernan on their extraordinary missions. Increasingly, the impression is of a bold period in history that could take humanity decades to live down as it tries to match its achievements.
Comments
Richardclivingston said: I live about 40 miles from the Kennedy launch pads I see every launch that goes up with my own two eyes You sir are mistaken
Non said: Zamir Anjumyour a foolhttpwwwtimecomtimehealt
Anonymous said: The Apollo landing sites cant be resolved from Earth-based telescopes
Knowles2 said: It may have took us back one day Constellation programme was over budget heavily delayed It deserve to be cancelThe SLS should also be cancelled before its sends more money down the drainThe money from the SLS should be invested in many of the other components of a mission to Mars or even to the Asteroids that have yet to receive any development funds to dateThere are many other crafts which could send the pieces on a mars space ship into orbit for orbital assembly SLS is a wast of money and Obama should have vetoed it Space Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 are more than adequate for any future missions
Peterbaguley said: they should ressurect the programme and send all the ex presidents and their stooges to the space station and leave them there We dont need them They are ruining whats left of our livessNnd netenyahu too
Jaimemgn said: We have UFOs Why worry about going to the moon
John W Wittenberg said: Just look in a powerfull TelescopeYOU WILL SEE THE SPACECRAFT
John W Wittenberg said: And I suppose Barack Obamais going to blame this on George Bush also The Constellation Program Started during the Bush Presidency was supposed to take up the slack after the shuttle That program was cancelled by BARACK OBAMA
Zamir Anjum said: i really wonder on these two storiesArmstrongs walk on the moon in 1969andEugene Cernan in 1972What about today when we have more advanced technology then 1969 or 1972why Because those both stories are fake they were fabricated onesi like to know reply of my questions my email is zanjumgmaildisquscom