Space shuttle workers may have short trip to new jobs


When the U.S. space shuttle program finally shuts down and the final launch is complete, space workers are going to need a job and they may not have to travel far to find one. Some may end up working in a related field, maybe building the next generation of flight vehicles with a private contractor. But for many workers at Florida‘s Kennedy Space Center, the future had been uncertain at best until now. Now workers are seeing at least one possible option from an unlikely source.

Carnival Cruise Lines recently announced they were moving 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy from Galveston, Texas to Port Canaveral, just down the street from where space workers have been making a living for decades.

Along with Carnival Ecstasy comes hundreds if not thousands of jobs building a new $30 million cruise terminal, dock and more.

No, we’re probably not going to see one of the astronauts or flight directors in the construction process, but for 8,000 space workers who will lose their jobs, this adds one choice to a very short list of options.

Another possible job for space shuttle workers, ironically tech-related is in the health information technology field. As doctors and hospitals make the transition from paper to electronic records jobs there are plentiful but that sure doesn’t sound as exciting as being a part of space travel.

Look for displaced space workers to find other jobs in aerospace too as aviation companies are drawn to the area. Aviation companies soon to break ground at new facilities in Florida include AAR Corp and MidairUSA who noted that the skilled work force was a big advantage over other communities they were considering.


The Kennedy Space Center outlines new plans for a space shuttle exhibit




With the NASA’s Space Shuttle Program coming to a close, there are a number of museums scrambling to get a retired shuttle. In hopes to be selected, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center has designed new plans for their Visitor Complex. The centerpiece of the plans is a $100 million retired space shuttle exhibit. The overarching goal of the plans is to show guests the connection between NASA and their everyday lives.

The initial design concepts include viewing the space shuttle in flight and showing how it worked in space. In addition to the 64,000 square-foot space shuttle exhibit, the plans also include immersive thematic zones, other interactive exhibits, and live presentations by astronauts and workers.

Seeing the test shuttle, known as the Enterprise, was the highlight of my visit to the Udvar-Hazy annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Even after almost thirty years in operation, space shuttles are still a marvel to look at up close. I would have to believe that the Kennedy Space Center has the inside track in acquiring a shuttle. As Bill Moore, Chief Operating Officer of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex said, “Kennedy Space Center is home to the space shuttle; all of the 132 missions have launched from here.” I can’t think of a stronger case for a museum to become a home to one of the three shuttles.

NASA red-faced after Space Shuttle hangar cocaine find

Finding contraband is usually reserved for the airport, but this week, NASA is dealing with its own aviation incident. NASA officials are scrambling to discover the source of a small bag of cocaine found in a Space Shuttle hangar.

The bag was found by one of the 200 people holding a permit to be inside the area, which obviously narrows down the number of people on the list of suspects.

The find is especially embarrassing because the hangar is on the base where a Shuttle launch is scheduled for next month. Obviously, the idea of cocaine making its way into orbit is rather frightening, as is the idea that someone with Shuttle access credentials may be a cocaine user.

The Kennedy Space Center has a zero tolerance policy on drugs, and officials have started drug tests on its workers, and drug sniffing dogs are searching the area for more clues.%Gallery-76818%

Watch the shuttle launch!

Space Shuttle Discovery will leave the Earth behind on February 12, 2009. If you want to be there to witness it, pick some tickets for the launch. Guests will be able to watch the commencement of mission STS-119 from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which is as close as you can get.

This mission will take the shuttle from Florida (and you, if you’re at the visitor complex) to the International Space Station, where it will drop off a set of large solar arrays, which will provide additional power for up to six crew members this spring, instead of the usual three. Making this mission unique, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata will be on board. Upon arrival at the International Space Station, he’ll be the first crew member from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Back at Kennedy, there will be plenty to do before and after the launch. Video presentations, astronaut appearances and launch briefings will help you make sense of what happens out on the pad. And at $38 for adults ($28 for kids ages three to 11), this is a fantastic deal even in today’s tough economy.

Learn more about watching a launch >>

John F. Kennedy’s Birthday and Locations with his Name

I was looking through my calendar to see what events I may have missed in May. Here’s one I caught just in time. Today is John F. Kennedy’s birthday. Born May 29, 1917 he became the 35th US president in 1961. This would be his 90th birthday if he were still alive.

In honor of the occassion, here’s a list of just some of the places you can go that are named after him. From an airport to a highway to an island and an eternal flame–you could travel for awhile to hit them all.

  • John F. Kennedy International Airport., New York.This is easier to get to or get from with the AirTran train that goes between the airport and Howard Beach and Jamacia Stations. For only $5 one-way, that’s a deal.
  • The Kennedy Center of Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. is considered a living memorial and showcases world renowned performances in dance, drama and music.
  • Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa, Florida (State Highway 60). Used to be called Layfette Street and Grand Central Avenue but had a name change after Kennedy’s visit to Tampa.
  • John F. Kennedy Space Center near Orlando, Florida. Here you can see rockets launch. The next one is June 8.
  • USS John F. Kennedy (US Navy aircraft carrier that served until March of this year was the last conventionally powered carrier. It’s port-cabin designed by Jacquelin Kennedy will be reassembled at the National Museum of National Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.
  • John F. Kennedy Peace Forest at the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Kennedy Island in the Solomon Islands is where Kennedy swam ashore in WWII after his torpedo boat was sunk by a Japanese destroyer.
  • John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame, Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The flame is at his grave and never goes out.