97 replies to this topic

[xrocketengineer]

lets be honest - most jobs get boring from time to time

 

It's rare to get an exciting every day kind of job

 

 

I have been retired for five years now. I worked for over 31 years for NASA in the Space Shuttle Program in one form or another. It was very exciting in the early days since I would get to work with new and unique hardware and get to meet and work with very smart and interesting people. Early on, there were all these exciting plans like rescuing Skylab before it burned in the atmosphere, going back to the Moon and then Mars. None of that happened during my time due to lack of money and vision.

Still, keeping the Shuttle flying over the years was challenging enough since there was always something new to learn (about things that could go wrong) or something old that broke and we had to figure out how to fix it since the technology had gotten so old.

However, the last three or four years were no fun at all. Even though we were still flying the Space Shuttle, the priority of our efforts were supposed to be spent on the planning of future space programs and vehicles, all of which got eventually cancelled. A lot of people were not working on their jobs, instead, they were working on their careers. Our upper management was leading by example.

I don't think that NASA will ever design and build another space vehicle. The brains, the will and the spirit are gone. They will probably have to hire somebody like Elon Musk with SpaceX to get anywhere.

In the mean time, I continue to learn how to fix my mini and figure out what will break next....

[sledgehammer]

 

lets be honest - most jobs get boring from time to time

 

It's rare to get an exciting every day kind of job

 

 

I have been retired for five years now. I worked for over 31 years for NASA in the Space Shuttle Program in one form or another. It was very exciting in the early days since I would get to work with new and unique hardware and get to meet and work with very smart and interesting people. Early on, there were all these exciting plans like rescuing Skylab before it burned in the atmosphere, going back to the Moon and then Mars. None of that happened during my time due to lack of money and vision.

Still, keeping the Shuttle flying over the years was challenging enough since there was always something new to learn (about things that could go wrong) or something old that broke and we had to figure out how to fix it since the technology had gotten so old.

However, the last three or four years were no fun at all. Even though we were still flying the Space Shuttle, the priority of our efforts were supposed to be spent on the planning of future space programs and vehicles, all of which got eventually cancelled. A lot of people were not working on their jobs, instead, they were working on their careers. Our upper management was leading by example.

I don't think that NASA will ever design and build another space vehicle. The brains, the will and the spirit are gone. They will probably have to hire somebody like Elon Musk with SpaceX to get anywhere.

In the mean time, I continue to learn how to fix my mini and figure out what will break next....

 

 

Totally agree with that - some people have no vision - only there to tick boxes , & suck up for promotion

 

at least for the moments of boredom you had years of fulfilling work

 

I can see private enterprise taking over from national government - in space - NASA have stalled 

 

I think space travel will end up like the series  'firefly'

 

what a great job (on the whole) you had

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

I currently do this for a living, the hours are long and it can be tedious but it's a good stop gap and keeps me going (and fit!)  

 

[Summerill2]

I currently do this for a living, the hours are long and it can be tedious but it's a good stop gap and keeps me going (and fit!)  
 

What do you do get paid to drive a kart??

[bossfab]

I am a welder by trade but some how ended up In hoists. It's one of those jobs that once your in you can't really leave because you develope a very specific skill set which isn't really transferable.

It's not the heights that gets me it's the weather, especially the sun as there is no shelter from it

 image.jpg   64.78K   16 downloads

That is probibly my favorite one that I have done as it stood about 30m height with no tie, then at 31.5 we put a monster tie at the top and then carried on climbing it.

Edited by bossfab, 29 June 2014 - 03:21 PM.

[087dave]

lets be honest - most jobs get boring from time to time
 
It's rare to get an exciting every day kind of job

 

I have been retired for five years now. I worked for over 31 years for NASA in the Space Shuttle Program in one form or another. It was very exciting in the early days since I would get to work with new and unique hardware and get to meet and work with very smart and interesting people. Early on, there were all these exciting plans like rescuing Skylab before it burned in the atmosphere, going back to the Moon and then Mars. None of that happened during my time due to lack of money and vision.
Still, keeping the Shuttle flying over the years was challenging enough since there was always something new to learn (about things that could go wrong) or something old that broke and we had to figure out how to fix it since the technology had gotten so old.
However, the last three or four years were no fun at all. Even though we were still flying the Space Shuttle, the priority of our efforts were supposed to be spent on the planning of future space programs and vehicles, all of which got eventually cancelled. A lot of people were not working on their jobs, instead, they were working on their careers. Our upper management was leading by example.
I don't think that NASA will ever design and build another space vehicle. The brains, the will and the spirit are gone. They will probably have to hire somebody like Elon Musk with SpaceX to get anywhere.
In the mean time, I continue to learn how to fix my mini and figure out what will break next....

U could ask the fellas that crash landed in Roswell ....lol

[xrocketengineer]

 

U could ask the fellas that crash landed in Roswell ....lol

 

We tried to interrogate them but they would not talk....I guess they were dead

Which reminds me of the story of one of the guys that used to work in my group and was married to a Russian. His previous job had been with the recovery group that went to all the shuttle contingency landing sites around the world. He was assigned to White Sands in Nuevo Mexico, near Area 51, and had taken his new bride with him. Since she (and any other civilians) were not allowed on base, she was kind of curious about what he did. As they were driving in the middle of a desert road, a then brand new and still classified stealth fighter just went by over their heads as fast and low as it could.

His wife was a bit shocked by the encounter having never seen anything that "alien looking". So, he looked at her and told her with a very straight face  "tonight when I go to work, it is my turn to feed them...."  He says that after that, she did not ask anything else.

Edited by xrocketengineer, 30 June 2014 - 12:59 AM.

[MRA]

Degree and Apprenticeship trained aircraft design Engineer, however I have gone further by cutting my bonds and now make Classic Mini parts and tooling.