Astronauts Face Bleak Odds For Spaceflight

Abhishek writes "According to a Space.com report, Astronauts at NASA fear that they won't be able to fly until 2015 and that, for some, would be too late. The space shuttles that NASA have are almost at the end of their lifetimes and any shuttle can take years to be built. Though almost everybody is involved in some way or another in looking after a shuttle, only a lucky few actually gets the chance for a ride."

What really sucks...

[BackInIraq]

...is that there isn't much need for Astronauts in our new service-based economy, so they're gonna have a hell of a time finding a new job.

Re:Begs the question...

[christopherfinke]

Duh, they form beer drinking teams [app.com]. (Official US Beer Drinking Team website [usbdt.com])

sell space station on eBay

[peter303]

If you could get ten cents on the dollar for the $90 billion International Space Station you could keep manned space flight going for some time.

Why does this make me want to cry instead of laugh?

Re:What really sucks...

[PhotoBoy]

Buzz Aldrin: Sir, please make sure your tray table and seat is returned to its upright position.
Passenger: No! Where the hell's that beer I ordered???
Neil Armstrong: It won't be a minute, sir. I just need to make one giant leap to reach the cupboard where the beers are.

And to think when I was a kid...

[BHAX]

When my fourth grade teacher asked me what I want to be when I grow up, I told her, "I want to be an ASTRONAUT Mrs. King". She told me I could do it, if I apply myself. Never before have I been as grateful for chronic drug abuse and not living up to my potential as I am today. It's not like the title says, "Network Tech's Face Bleak Odds for Hooking up Patch Cables"

Re:What really sucks...

[Tablizer]

...is that there isn't much need for Astronauts in our new service-based economy, so they're gonna have a hell of a time finding a new job.

India and China are expanding their space program. Maybe they can become visa astronauts (B1H?). With all the damned visa workers India sends over here, at least give our astronauts some reciprical opportunities.

What happened?

[beforewisdom]

Did NASA outsource to India?

( there go my karma points )

Re:Begs the question...

[harrkev]

I hear that India and China are hiring. ;)

man...

[enrico_suave]

I bet the makers of Tang, are pissed...

e.

Re:hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Why not? We're already being driven around in taxis by people to whom English is a second language, why not extend it to space?

Hopes and Dreams

[HEXAN]

I heard Burt Rutan built a spaceship capable of outperfoming the shuttle using change stolen from the vending machines at JPL. Oh wait, that's really the truth.

Re:Begs the question...

[nofx_3]

This should be modded (Score:-1, Depressing).

-kaplanfx

Tons of chances to be an astronaut

[WillAffleckUW]

Provided you live in Japan, China, or the EU.

It's only here in the third-world nation of the USA that it's a problem.

Re:Begs the question...

[myowntrueself]

"plus all the PR (trips to schools, educational programs)."

I can just imagine it...

little kid; "Are you really an astronaut, mister?"

nasa astronaut; "yeah, son, thats right" (gleaming smile)

little kid; "how many times have you been in space mister?"

nasa astronaut; "well, I havn't actually been *in* space, but we train for it all of the time!"

little kid; "ummm when *are* you going into space then, mister?"

nasa astronaut; "I'm unlikely ever to go into space, son"

little kid; "so how come you are an astronaut?"

Rearing its ugly head again...

[Anonymous Coward]

Great; more off-shoring.

At this rate in 15 years it will be Off-Earthing!

Re:Begs the question...

[zonix]

nasa astronaut; "I'm unlikely ever to go into space, son"

little kid; "so how come you are an astronaut?"

NASA astronaut: "Why, you little ...!"

Little kid: (choking)

z