it allows people to put almost anywhere they want to reach on the exterior of the station. the station can take a lot of hits and keep on ticking. but there are some things that might be too much for it. it's a big sky. so far, so good. and they have stocked up with spare parts. the crew is trained for major repair operations. they did one last year successfully. >> when the shuttle program ends, you know, 7,000 people, as i'm sure you're aware, will lose their jobs which is awful, but what does it also mean in the bigger picture? >> right now we're supposed to be transitioning to a whole new era in space flight including human space flight. but the transition is stretched out. it's almost a case of neglect on the part of plans to keep people working. not just keep people working. these people are smart. but there are teams of people that have spent 5, 10, 20 years