Anniversary for Ares 1-X prototype test flight.

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Sorry, I missed this four days ago. Anyway, on 28 October last year, the first, and also only flight from the Constellation Program since it's now cancelled was flown by NASA. This was the test flight of the prototype Ares 1 rocket that was supposed to be the crew launch vehicle of NASA's new moon program. The Constellation Program was officially cancelled on 11 October 2010 when Obama signed a new NASA authorisation bill. However, it seems like manned space exploration is still on the cards and the results from that test launch will be used for the new heavy lift rocked that NASA is going to start working on next year. Here's the article on the anniversary for the Ares 1 test rocket launch:

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2010/october/166824/Anniversary-for-Ares-test-rocket.

From the lack of responses, I guess no one is interested. Is no one interested in space travel any more?

I have no idea how, but somehow "they" managed to make space travel pretty dull. Its probably the pedestrian nature of the tasks. "Going in to space to tighten that bolt, maybe hoover around the place, adjust that picture."

Fair enough, simply going into LEO is pretty dull. However, the Constellation Program was supposed to revive the manned exploration program that existed during the Apollo era. The point of this thread is to point out that the people in the US Congress who wanted the Constellation program to continue have managed to strike a compromise with the administration who wanted to cancel it in the new authorization bill. The Orion capsule, which was designed for deep space exploration is still being built and while the new moon landings have been cancelled, a manned mission to asteroid is apparently being planned for the year 2025.

I thought that would be enough to make the subject of space travel more exciting. Mind you, I'm still a bit sceptical about this plan.

I do wonder if they over-sold "space" back in the 50's and sixties. Clearly technology isn't going to catch up to the possibilities for a long time yet. Once they discovered that a spider spinning a web in space had applications in tennis-racket design they killed the glamour.

Not that that isn;t a terrible shame. Space SHOULD be a shedload cooler than it is.

Personally, I think it has to do more with economics than technology. Otherwise, how come we can't even go to the moon and yet it was done 40 years ago. Also, technically current technology could enable us to send and astronaut to Mars, it's just that it's too risky without going to nearer destinations first. If you don't believe me, take a look at Robert Zubrin's proposal, that's what NASA's conceived Constellation manned Mars mission was based on.

I kind of disliked Obamas actions for a while now but what he did with NASA on April 15 2010 made me furious with him. That day was when Constellation was canceled and after the last space shuttle landing who will take us to space the Russians?
NASA was made to accomplish,explore,and advance.

Yes, I don't like the idea of the manned space program ending. At least Obama didn't get everything he wanted due to some members of Congress who didn't want Constellation cancelled. The Constellation Program is still cancelled because congressmen who didn't want it cancelled eventually made a compromise with the Obama administration who did, however if Obama had gotten everything he wanted with regard to the programs cancellation, it would of been even more of a disaster.

NASA has become just another bloated, sick government bureau manned by cronies and people with connections. The NASA you knew and loved has been dead and rotting for years.

ruveyn

Probably. Didn't that start when Richard Nixen cancelled the Apollo Applications Program?