When the United States conducted its final space shuttle launch, it not only marked a sad end to an era, it marked a massive “space power” shift that leaves the United States weaker than it has been since the first days of space exploration.

Since the glorious days of the late 1960s and early 1970s when America was landing astronauts on the moon and in every respect showing its technical dominance and leadership capabilities, the United States’ effectiveness in space has been decreasing. While the space shuttles provided decades of serviceable launch capability, the United States never again sent an astronaut beyond orbit and, after this mission, won’t even have the ability to put an astronaut into orbit, much less beyond.

That power will lie solely with Russia, our nation’s longtime rival. Indeed, the next Americans headed for the International Space Station will do so aboard a Russian rocket pushing a Soyuz crew capsule.

NASA does have a variety of plans for new launch systems in development, but it has not yet selected a system and the soonest the United States can be back in the crewed space business is 2016. That’s five years from now, even if NASA brings the project off on schedule.

It’s a sad commentary on American vision, American know-how and American foresight when we turn to our former enemy and current rival for a vital skill that was once a fountain of national pride.