Published: November 23, 2008 11:06 pm         

VALLEY: This old space station

The space shuttle Endeavour blasted off from Cape Canaveral the other day on another trip to the space station. It’s amazing — at least to those of us who grew up with the program from its very beginning — how routine such an event has become. We’ve come to expect, and actually take for granted, a successful voyage.

Evidence that the launches of today are different from the days of yore are exemplified in the goals of the crew’s missions. In the old days, we’d send men into space just to see if we could do it. Can we send a human into the bowels of deep space? (At least, that’s where we used to think we were sending them).

In comparison, the objective on this recent trip is to remodel and upgrade the station by hauling up a kitchenette, a bathroom and equipment to make more sleeping quarters. Just the word “kitchenette” tells me things have changed. It’s so ... not “rocket-science” sounding. But apparently, even astronauts (do we still call them that?) aren’t immune from the epidemic of the home-improvement bug that has been sweeping the nation ever since cable TV started broadcasting those remodeling shows. (Those shows that make you believe that no matter what your place looks like it would be a whole lot better if you just made it different).

My, oh my — how times have changed!

However, I found one of this mission’s other goals a bit disturbing: They are delivering some kind of gadgetry that will — I’m telling the truth here — turn urine into drinking water (Now I know why they are always looking for water on other planets). I’m sorry, but to me this recycling thing has gotten out of hand.

I’ve got a feeling that the old adage that warns travelers to Mexico “Don’t drink the water” will pale in comparison to the space station’s extremely misleading “Out of this world water.” This is not my cup of tea. Literally! And on that matter, I’d avoid any type of food that was made at the space station that involved the addition of water in the recipe. Things like soup — especially, pea soup. Like the ad says, “It’s the real thing.”

But back to the remodeling: They’re adding two bedrooms? What’s the deal there? Are the in-laws coming for the weekend? Are they opening a bread and breakfast? Maybe it’s because there are so many different countries with people in space now, they just don’t know who and when someone will be at the hatch — popping in for a cocktail and overnight visit. If that happens, I offer this advice: Avoid the scotch and water ... well, at least the water.

And that’s the way it looks from the Valley.

Tom Valley is a Medina resident. Write to Tvalley@rochester.rr.com.