The shuttle Columbia is 21 years old.

[OC]

Just thought I'd mention it.

-OC

[topane]

Wow. I remember my parents letting me stay home from school (4th grade I think) so I could watch it on TV. Part of me is amazed at what we can do. Part of me is thinking, "Hey, isn't it about time for new technology?" The third part is hungry.

[revil]

Originally posted by topane
Wow. I remember my parents letting me stay home from school (4th grade I think) so I could watch it on TV. Part of me is amazed at what we can do. Part of me is thinking, "Hey, isn't it about time for new technology?" The third part is hungry.
I can't relate to your first part, but I can fully relate to your 2nd and 3rd part.

[LPMiller]

imagine owning the same car for 21 years.

Damn, but NASA gets its moneys worth out of their family car!

[Merlin]

It has gotten some upgrades along the way. Its kind of like having the same white computer case for a few years while whats inside has changed.

[molecularfire]

Ah... the age old philosophical question... when then does it become a different ship.

[joe52985]

arnt there cracks in the shuttles hull now they need to repair? seems to me its time for a whole new shuttle, im hungry, too

[OC]

Originally posted by joe52985
arnt there cracks in the shuttles hull now they need to repair? seems to me its time for a whole new shuttle, im hungry, too Not in the hull - the cracks are in the fuel lines. All four shuttles have them , and they don't yet know why.

-OC

[LPMiller]

There are plans afoot for a new line of shuttles. Contractors are bidding now, and final design should be select in the next few years, with the new version rolling off the lines around 2010.

[DoPeY5007]

2010 :eek: my car will be able to go to the moon by then

[Pinkgirl36]

Originally posted by DoPeY5007
2010 :eek: my car will be able to go to the moon by then you mean the one that's sitting outside your house broken down????:heh:

[LPMiller]

Originally posted by DoPeY5007
2010 :eek: my car will be able to go to the moon by then
Thats a little over 7 years away, you know.

[ufcrusher]

I remember way back in 1987 when I went to Space Academy we were given "special clearance" to know all the launch windows till 2000, the plans for freedom, and the new designs for earth orbitors and space shuttles. I thought that was really cool back then...now I look at it and say, what happened to all those grand ideas! On a side note, what happened to me! I am not an astronaut. :)

[joe52985]

they cant figure out why there are cracks why dont they think of the 21 years they have put on that thing!