The picture shows the space shuttle Atlantis left the International Space Station, the case
Data Figure: U.S. Eastern Time at 11:00 on July 10, after nearly two days of flight, "Atlantis" Space Shuttle and International Space Station 'Harmony' module docking node number
BEIJING, July 21 (Zhong will be) comprehensive report, the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to land on the ground this evening Beijing time, the U.S. space shuttle up to age 30 years will be formally ended. After a Russian Soyuz spacecraft manned space industry will be monopolized at least five years. NASA is expected that the Russian monopoly will end in 2016, when the United States will enable new commercial space transport.
U.S. space shuttle era officially ended 30 years
Atlantis in GMT at 8:49 on the 21st (16:49 GMT) launch the rocket off the track, re-entry. Beijing evening 5:57, Atlantis landed safely at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
The United States since 1972, invested heavily in research on the space shuttle, has produced six space shuttle, are "Enterprise", "Columbia", "Challenger", "Discovery", "Stuart Landry Sri Lanka "was the" Endeavour ".
The "Enterprise" is a test machine, never manned, no launch. The first official service for the aircraft, "Columbia", with "Challenger" explosion occurred, a total of 14 astronauts killed.
United States April 12, 1981 for the first time space shuttle launch, Atlantis flight is the 135th and last mission. 135 missions in 37 trips to the International Space Station (ISS).
Advantage of both its own space shuttle, there are unavoidable flaws. Its advantage is reusable to reduce costs, the level of the spacecraft landed more than safe, comfortable than spacecraft, carrying ability. But it is complex, expensive, there are more than 3,500 sub-systems, more than 2.5 million parts, each flight costs about $ 500 million. It did not escape the system, the implementation of people and goods during transportation, "Challenger" and "Columbia" of the accident to prove its safety and reliability is much lower than the relatively simple spacecraft. 30 years of practice has shown that it is neither money nor safety, comfort and carrying astronauts only two strong advantages. As the cost is too high, the United States decided to suspend the space shuttle project.
Thousands of employees will be unemployed aerospace sector
United States 30 years after the formal end of the shuttle project, thousands of workers will face unemployment dilemma. NASA scheduled later this week laid off 2,300 people in August and then lay off 1,000 people.
Kennedy Space Center in Florida had nearly 8,000 staff, all will be unemployed after the end of the space shuttle project.
10 years ago, astronauts prepared to reach a peak when the U.S. has 149 astronauts, now only 60, so Atlantis came back, there is a group to leave.
Some staff have already thought of good intention unemployed. Retired in March of this year's space shuttle Discovery commander Lindsay transferred to civil aerospace firm. Last trip in May to complete the task of Endeavour Commander Kelly to retire, accompanied by his wife shot the injured Rep. Giffords, the two plan together a memoir.
A job as head of the runway moving talk about the future career of Sinclair, said: "We have a lot of experience and expertise, is willing to pass to the next generation."
However, some staff in the future at a loss. Imaging departments in charge of the Band in the past is responsible for space shuttle launch, landing and maintenance of the shooting, but as early as 4 months before he incurs dismissal. He said that although there is valuable work experience for 13 years, but now too many people competing for very little work, so he went to Afghanistan plan, contractors working for the defense imaging systems.
Face up to 30 years ended the era of the space shuttle, NASA takes thousands of people a sense of mood naturally. Atlantis commander Ferguson (Chris Ferguson) 20, accepted a series of visits, he said, and will be sad to bid farewell to the space shuttle, "shuttle program for many dedicated people, this will be a excitement of the moment, but we will try to remain optimistic. "
Ferguson and reference the past, "Apollo 13" mission director Ke Lanzi saying: "I pray that one day our country the courage to accept the risks and challenges to complete the task had begun."
Russian Soyuz spacecraft will dominate manned aerospace
United States put an end to 30 years after the space shuttle era, the Russian monopoly of manned space flight will be at least 5 years, all countries including the United States, will have to be expensive to purchase Russian spacecraft seat, national astronaut to set foot in the international Space Station.
Russia in the Russian Space Agency astronaut 谢尔盖沃尔科夫 personal blog site wrote, with the United States, "Atlantis" No. 19, left the International Space Station, Space Shuttle, the Russian "alliance" was a Wei a delivery at the International Space Station science experiments tools.
Volkov wrote in a blog: "It results only from the Soyuz back." He pointed out that, despite the ship's capacity is not large, but the place will be considered in advance the size of cabin, in order to transport as much as possible items. "In addition, many of the results we obtained in electronic form, which can be transmitted directly from the space station. Does have a large storage capacity of modern memory size is not large, we have to copy all of the results of these memories, then we will let them return." Volkov said.
Space Shuttle retirement, the United States the next few years will depend on a Russian Soyuz rocket to send astronauts to the space station. NASA (NASA) has been, and "United Launch Alliance," an agreement to try to use "Atlas V" (Atlas V) to the commercial space station astronaut will rocket. United Launch Alliance, Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture.
The monopoly of the Russian manned space flight, nature will not miss the opportunity to improve profits. Since the former U.S. President George W. Bush declared an end in 2004, since the space shuttle program, Russia has sent U.S. astronauts set off the cost increase of 8 degrees. Biggest increase will be this summer, which officially retired space shuttle, the United States will need to launch astronauts for each pay $ 43.4 million to Russia, a substantial increase over the first half of 57%.
NASA is expected that Russia's monopoly will end in 2016. Because, according to NASA's plans, private development of new commercial space transport is expected will be enabled.
U.S. new generation of spacecraft 'Orion' will play the leading role
After retiring the space shuttle, the United States plans to develop a new generation of spacecraft - Orion (Orion, also translated as "Orion") and "God of War" rocket taking over for manned space activities.
The Orion spacecraft is now in 2004 former U.S. President George W. Bush that "Constellation" (United States return to the moon) is brought up. The plan is to develop the Orion spacecraft and the "God of War 1" (for the promotion of manned spacecraft), "Ares V" (for the promotion of cargo spacecraft) two types of high-thrust rocket. United States, the idea is, the space shuttle, the Orion spacecraft to rely on to achieve return to the moon and Mars missions into the future.
"Orion" spacecraft flight is scheduled for 2015, which can transport six to the International Space Station astronauts, and the ability to simultaneously transport four astronauts to the moon. Let the United States is the new world of mankind's space industry remains to be seen.
