The end of US manned space flight.

Three more shuttle flights, and then no more US manned space flight. At least when the moon flights ended, the shuttle was on the drawing boards, and NASA had the budget.

Now? Neither.

Obama axed the Orion lifter project right out of NASA's budget, a program that used as much already developed technology as it could to reduce costs and save time.

And now he wants NASA to focus on getting to Mars, and developing "new and innovative" technology to get there. But does he say where the money will come from?

Nope.

So I still predict that when they stop flying the shuttle, that will be the end of US manned spaceflight. Forever.

Sure, private enterprise is supposed to pick up the slack, but "Three astronauts from Virgin Records have landed on Mars" just doesn't have the same ring as "Three astronauts from the United States have landed on Mars".

Upcoming movies

From the trailers at Clash:

Robin Hood: might see it in the theatre, but more likely to rent. They did not have "landing craft" type boats in the Middle Ages! Period! But other than that, it looks watchable.

The Losers: I'll rent it. It looks entertaining.