Shop Talk

Hello,German pilots.I reached out to you recently.I am thinking about flight this week,as the space shuttle is to be retired in 2010,but there is some talk of President-elect Obama extending its lifespan.He should,because it is unfortunate to have a gap between American spaceflight programs.We would have to rely on the Russians alone for some years to supply the International Space Station-at a time when it is just coming into its own.It is impossible to tell for sure when the follow-on to the shuttle will be ready.All kinds of delays can occur in this complex endeavor.The culture of spaceflight will be lost to some extent because one of its major participants will be partially idled for a period of years.It would be something of a setback for everyone,a loss of momentum.The public needs to be involved in space,but that is difficult without ongoing launches.