Over the thirty plus years of flight and nearly 40 years of design construction and engineering of the Space Shuttle Program tens of thousands of people have participated behind the scenes. My #NASATweetup experience for STS-135 was unique. I was not able to attend day one, but was able to experience the launch from both sides of the curtain by attending day two of the event and having several other days to meet informally with NASA staff members at various locations.
I informally met my first NASA employees while flying into Florida as a large group boarded the aircraft during one of many stops that day. They were reluctant to talk especially on record but eventually began to talk freely and without reservation when I assured that I would not attribute towards them. I will respect that "off the record" conversation except to say that they all knew that they had already been laid off or were about to be laid off in the coming days. They were still passionately dedicated and totally professional. Their job was to make the most complex machine ever built by humankind launch safely on time and return it (and its occupants) safely. To do this they had be ready to answer any one of thousands of questions instantly. A living brain trust of over 200 combined human years of Shuttle flight support. Please understand that this was my *first* exposure to NASA manned flight personnel that week.
The conversations were varied and passionate. My own misunderstandings of the causes of the end of the Shuttle era were gently corrected and additional information was supplied. I had 3 hours to talk informally with people at a level that would rarely be granted interview status by PAO's. There was no spin. There was even less filtering. I was given honest answers from people that had done this job, for many years.
My next visit with NASA personnel was an even less formal manner. The conversation spanned many hours. I learned details about manned spaceflight that I had never dreamed of knowing. The complexities as well as the "real life" challenges as well as the absurdly mundane aspects of it. This unique group of individuals spoke honestly with humor that belied the amazing level of complexity of their jobs. There were thousands of hours of experience at that table. All were clearly passionate about the safety of the crew and their well being. They were *still* supportive about the space program as a whole. 100 years of NASA experience sat at that table. They were no less passionate on that day (the day they were laid off) then they were on their first day of work. Caring people working to specifications that were almost inhuman, brought me closer to the humanity of NASA manned space flight than I ever dreamed possible.
There were "on-the-record" conversations as well. A group of STS training officers spoke of the trials of training a crew and creating the potential for *every* eventuality. Of the humor and dedication of all those that supported the space program. Of *family* bonded by a common task. They also talked of details of a job that they were just as passionate about on day 8,760 as they were on day one. I have learned from my previous Tweetup event at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that the people of NASA are unique. They are often humble & quiet. Often they are the last to talk about what they do. However with gentle prodding they will sometimes describe their duties yet appear almost ashamed at the spotlight. The details had me on the edge of my seat. A coaster, signed by each, is now a treasured possession. (thanks guys!).
The team that is NASA is not just the heroes and legends wearing blue jumpsuits in front of the cameras. It is the people that we never see on camera. It is the thousands of people that work on systems too complex to conceive. Some of these people are working with technology created before their own birth. The shuttle fleet was aging. I struggle with the demise of the program but accept both the budget constraints, aging technology and limited resources behind it.
I struggle more, with the lack of an *immediate* replacement for American manned spaceflight and my perception of the lack of a "master plan", than any other aspect of this time for NASA. Yet, I *still* have to hold up the folks that made her fly, and I hold high hopes for the future of those at NASA, and those that will transition to other programs and civilian work.
The glory days of Apollo are long gone. NASA struggles with budgets and mandates that change as quickly as a projected presentation in Washington DC.
The public and politicians expect miracles and instant gratification. Oftentimes the results of this process appear disjointed and chaotic because of change-orders that arrive one upon the other never allowing one set to be completed before a redesign is ordered from "on high" at Capitol Hill or elsewhere. These programs take time to conceive and engineer, then build and test.
The Apollo program was audacious in its lofty goals with expenditures in excess of anything previously conceived. It cost three lives --often forgotten, and accomplished so much. Computers, cellphones and network technology. Nearly everything I see in my office is a direct result of NASA's invention, and the technologies it co-produced.
We forget that the real gifts of that time were not just the landings on the moon but the technology spinoffs that are still with us today. That simple computer with a billionth the memory of the machine I am typing on kept two men safe on their first moon landing despite being overworked (1202 alarm) and tasked with so much. This technology combined with a crews skill and concentration created those miracles on the moon.
A few months ago my life was saved with NASA technology. Only looking through my NASA tweetup "goodiebag" did I see a rendition of a hospital room and the dozens of pieces of hardware commonplace in every Emergency Room. Almost every item that had been used on me, was in that picture and had been developed or engineered by NASA. I was surprised and thankful.
I still am.
The shuttle program was less lofty than Apollo, both figuratively and *literally*.
It gave us the international space station, whose operations are now funded until the year 2020. It gave us the Hubble Telescope that sees quite literally to the beginning to time. The Shuttle/Hubble followup missions have kept the telescope functional and updated and will ensure its operation for an additional decade. It is still described as the "single most important scientific instrument ever created by man" according to the scientists that use it.
With the exception of two tragedies that will forever haunt those that witnessed, worked on and supported those launches, the STS program has been flawless. Nobody that lived at those times will forget those moments, nor will those that worked on the program. Yet the *people* of NASA redesigned re-engineered and re-purposed themselves creating essentially three separate shuttle programs. During each phase NASA learned lessons both technological and procedural which increased safety for all the following missions.
On a personal note seeing a launch in person especially from a location like the Kennedy Press Center is life changing. One cannot be anything but awed, as the powerful main engines start and flex back. They rock on gimbals and rise to full thrust. Still silent from our vantage point, the twin rocket boosters "throw" the vehicle and reddish orange tank... off the pad. It is lost from sight in under a minute. Halfway though that rise, the sound finally hits you, at the press center. You *feel* it, as well as sense with your ears. The ignited Solid Rocket Boosters are nearly as bright as two separate suns. The sound delayed by distance rises to a crescendo that is awe inspiring. There is no way to duplicate the experience. If more of America had the opportunity to witness this in person I doubt they would have let the program be cancelled. In fact I believe they would already be clamoring for a replacement. I spoke with people that had seen over a dozen launches. Each was awed, on their 10th, perhaps even more than their first. I am told, "it takes a few, before you can grasp all that you are witnessing".
This is the real gift of a NASA Tweetup event. We get to experience this awe and power, meet the humans that make it work and then get to blog-tweet-post-photograph and talk about what we have witnessed... Those friends tell *their friends* and word of mouth passes the experience electronically to many millions of minds. The fact that our Twitter based reports (and sometimes our questions!) are not filtered gives us the ability to uniquely describe in a completely human manner, that which cannot be packaged by a PR firm or by a "professional" reporter
One of the most touching moments was the sign show by the closeout crew witnessed by nearly a millon people watching NASA TV via streaming media as well as many tens of millions on traditional media around the globe. Those that saw it in the Tweetup tent were overwhelmed by the emotion of that moment. We could see how much they cared and were thankful for the opportunity to support those who flew. Thanking the American Public directly was an amazing gesture.
On behalf of America, thank *you* for the privilege to witness it. While I am at it I need to thank the people of NASA, for the work you have done for these many decades. I may not ever meet you, but understand that this thanks is not dimmed by the lack of a handshake. Your passion and dedication show in every successful mission.
The shuttles are powerful elegant machines but are also infinitely complex. Seeing the culmination of this program is heart breaking for me. I have to thank this Presidential Administration for funding a few more flights to finish the program out and support both the station and the science that it carries.
However, the tasks that the space shuttles were designed for are largely completed.
Private enterprise, who had always *built* Americas space hardware appears poised to actually begin flying manned missions as well. The systems that were so infinitely complex have been simplified by the needs of private enterprise. Technology that was unthinkable in 1970's when the Presidential order to create the shuttle program was issued is now commonplace. The space program will continue with the aid of these technologies.
The largest problem I heard repeated by my informal conversations was that the "requirements for change, are impossible to react to." "We finish one set of change orders and another completely different mandate throws out the entire game plan". Another phrase was "engineering by Power-point presentation" The demands for change on systems that take a decade to build have whipsawed both engineers and NASA Administrators. This is not unique to manned spaceflight but the NASA post-shuttle missions seem particularly plagued by it according to those I have spoken to. Nearly all echoed the same concern, from different perspectives.
I see a great future, because we can now focus on moving beyond LEO and the workhorse tasks performed by the shuttle can be done by private industry. Perhaps they can even do so cheaper and more efficiently. I have high hopes that NASA's oversight will maintain standards of safety for all parties in the private enterprise system. One can hope that a few of those thousands of supporting heroes will find work in the private enterprise projects and be willing to come back when NASA resumes manned flight again.
One can hope that changes to mandates and increased stability will enable NASA's most valuable asset ----its people---- from support personell to Administrator to rise from this time of turbulance and perceived indecision, and create a unified plan for the *next* 30 years of manned space flight.
In short, my deepest thanks to the NASA team, for 30 years of amazing vision, powerful spectacle, and "humanity" that is reflected in every aspect of this program. Also my thanks to the entire NASA Tweetup team who have given me three amazing experiences, the @JPLTweetup @SOFIAtelescope (infrared airborne observatory) and the STS-135 launch in a nearly surreal and often overwhelming 6 weeks.
Please understand that I hold *all* of you (and "the people of NASA") in highest respect and will continue to do so.
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Thank you for your time,
@THwrex
