tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323714887398544512.post7239912015440537891..comments2023-11-03T01:31:15.528-07:00Comments on Astronaut Leroy Chiao's Blog: New Year, New DirectionsLeroy Chiaohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00826755971524702129noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323714887398544512.post-61775988424780502692009-01-15T08:10:00.000-08:002009-01-15T08:10:00.000-08:00I myself am looking forward to 2009 immensely. I&#...I myself am looking forward to 2009 immensely. I'm really hoping that Barack Obama can restore honour, respect, & most of all, hope, to the world's leading superpower.<BR/><BR/>The so called "recession" is, I think, not as big of an issue as the media is making it out to be. There are recessions every 10 years or so, and it's nothing new. The current recession is nowhere near the magnitude of the 1920's, where people were sleeping on the streets. Perhaps some people won't be able to afford that new 42 inch TV, but no-one is starving on the streets yet. Businesses are the bigger victims here, not the consumers. If the media stopped hyping it all up, people would have more confidence to spend, & the situation may improve. Having said that, the economy currently is going nowhere but down, so who knows what 2009 may hold.<BR/><BR/>2009 looks like it will be a good year for NASA, with 6 Space Shuttle launches planned + the Ares 1-X test flight. Preparations for the first Shuttle mission of 2009, STS-119, are now full steam ahead with Discovery now on the pad at LC-39A.<BR/><BR/>Latest news now is that Barack Obama has asked General Jonathan Scott Gration to be the new administrator for NASA. Also, the DIRECT launcher proposal is being re-considered by the Obama transition team (a decision I support firmly), as a replacement for the already behind schedule & over-budget, & problematic Ares.Space Petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211787239794732090noreply@blogger.com