[lbryce]

"Get the shuttle out of the garage down there at Kennedy (Space Center), crank up the motors and put it back in service," said Eugene Cernan, who commanded the Apollo 17 flight and was the last man to walk on the Moon in 1972.

"You want a launch vehicle today that will service the ISS? We've got it sitting down there. So before we put it in a museum, let's make use of it. It's in the prime of its life, how could we just put it away?"

It is with grave sorrow, regret we all mourn the US space program, its days of incredible national pride, glory as much for the exhiliaration, anticipation of dreams in space never fulfilled coming to fruition.

No greater admired a figure as Neil Armstrong, elder statesman of the US space program, first man to walk on the moon, has the authority, credibility to make the statement that the US space program is embarrassing to the US, embarrassing to all Americans, fundamentally, embarrassing to the American hero, whose very name, legacy in the realm of space travel, lunar landing has come to be known as one and the same.

[GeronL]

The ISS is close to being abandoned apparently. There is a European supply pod in Fr Guiana where they launch from but it apparently won’t be ready until January or so.

[DManA]

It’s embarrassing because there’s no goal. Where are we going? What are we doing?

[Secret Agent Man]

What space program?

[oyez]

The Administration is only pursuing unproductive and partisan government programs. NASA eggheads need not apply.

[dragonblustar]

Neil Armstrong says US Space Program 'Embarrassing'

Obama's legacy.

[Army Air Corps]

It is with grave sorrow, regret we all mourn the US space program, its days of incredible national pride, glory as much for the exhiliaration, anticipation of dreams in space never fulfilled coming to fruition.

Well, Obama has targeted all sources of national pride for destruction. We cannot have the United States thinking that it is special, unique, or exceptional, dontcha know.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[newheart]

Embarrassing?

Go figure.

[Nowhere Man]

I remember Gene Cernan was told my President Nixon that “he would be the last man to walk on the Moon in the 20th Century.”

[longfellow]

I was a tyke when during a shopping trip with my mom some lady asked my mother if I could try some new product. Well it turned out to be tang.
I was a test subject for NASA. True story.
You Suck ubama.

[Soothesayer9]

So did we bring anything back from the moon other than rocks? What about Mars? I love the Mars rovers but please...we need to have a *financial* reason for pumping billions into the space program.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Well if NASA doesn't lift the muzzies' self esteem out of the camel dung, who will?

sarc/

[Bellflower]

President Barack Obama canceled the Constellation program that would have returned humans to the Moon and called on NASA to instead focus on new, deep-space capabilities to carry people to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars by 2030.

He fails to decry Obama, as the one statement he makes about Obama's actions lacks any kind of outcry directed at him.

I'd like to see what Obama has actually done to support his supposed long off goals. Does anyone know?

[barstoolblues]

Remember that “reset” button Hillary Obama gave to the Russians?
That was to make up for the embarrassment caused to the poor Bolsheviks after we won the space race, and subsequently the cold war.
Theres no better way than to atone than to freeze our space program.
This is how B.O. is not “weaponizing” space.
Or maybe this is just an episode of Outer Limits.

[El Gato]

Armstrong always was the master of understatement.

[Rome2000]

President Barack Obama canceled the Constellation program that would have returned humans to the Moon and called on NASA to instead focus on new, deep-space capabilities to carry people to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars by 2030.

He will have run out of places to go on vacation on Earth by then.

[icanhasbailout]

What does any of that have to do with NASA’s main objective: reaching out to Muslims?

[John Locke]

Between 1405 and 1433 Ming China sent seven overseas missions under Admiral Cheng Ho. The project was then scrapped by the Imperial government, and China lost - perhaps forever - her chance to be a world power.

Between 1969 and 1972 the USA sent six missions to the moon. Then the project ws scrapped, and the rest is - or will be - history.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish" [Proverbs xxix:18] as I'm sure all good Freepers know.

[Tallguy]

Notice how the writer feels it necessary to identify Neil Armstrong as the first astronaut to walk on the Moon? Speaks volumes.

[Alberta's Child]

With all due respect to Mr. Armstrong, I think the U.S. space program needs a complete philosophical overhaul. We need to figure out what exactly "space exploration" is supposed to be for us, what it is supposed to accomplish, how much it will cost, and how we'll get a return on our investment.

Much of what NASA has done over the years has been an enormous waste of time and resources. It may very well be the case that two of the key items mentioned in this article -- lunar exploration and the space shuttle -- are among them (recognizing, of course, that hindsight is 20/20).