So . . . what happens to the astronauts?

[Stinky The Clown]

All the (wonderful) talk of Gabby Giffords going to Florida to watch her husband go into space on the next to last ever shuttle flight got me to wondering. What will the remaining astronauts be doing now?

[defendandprotect]

1. Well, I'm sure they'll be better off than the chimps when they were retired!!

[notesdev]

2. They're staying

Now that they've finally escaped the madness!

[Drale]

3. They are going to be put to work

repainting the outside of mission control. :rofl:

[joshcryer]

4. Preparing to fly on Soyuz, and eventually an American ship (probably a Falcon 9 + Dragon).

We're losing a lot of capability, but we're not giving up completely.

[Thunderstruck]

5. I read somewhere that there may still be some hope for a Constellation

type rocket but with the goal of eventually going to Mars, via the moon.

Also, astronauts will still visit the ISS via the Russian space program.

[GomezLives]

6. See Major Tom

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. They get pink slips

I mean, it's not like they're in a union or something.

End of the space program, end of the astronauts.

:hi:

Actually, most are officers in one of the armed services. They can go back to their old jobs, if the astronaut programs is shut down.

Not exactly a golden parachute, but a parachute nonetheless.

[Old and In the Way]

8. Virgin Space is hiring.

I saw some blurb that they're looking for a test pilots and astronauts to apply. I wonder how many millions of dollars the taxpayers have paid to give these guys the requisite training...and now a private corporation reaps the benefits.

[sfwriter]

9. We like to make egg salad out of them, or develed eggs...

...wait...you said Astronauts, not eggs. I HAVE NO IDEA. Nasa hasn't had so many leftover before.