Calls to permanently ground Shuttle fleet.

I agree that the shuttles need not be grounded though
for slightly different reasons then you mentioned. No
politician wants to be known as the one who killed the
manned space program. It is important to remember
that NASA was created to promote foreign policy.
While initially it was aimed against the Soviet Union
it has emerged (under Bill Clinton) as a symbol of
America's poster child for international cooperation.
You can talk all about the science and engineering of
NASA but it is the politics that drive it.

This is both good and bad. Its good because it keeps
America in space with the shuttle and ISS. Its bad
however because science and engineering are just
byproducts and are not necessarily a factor in the
decision process. NASA does do great science with
incredible missions like Cassini, Galileo, Hubble and
the Earth Science missions. However, it is the manned
program that makes headlines so it is the manned
program that politicians love.

Personally, one thing I have always hated is how NASA
is overseen in Congress. It is on the same budget as
HUD and Veteran affair. So everytime you want to
increase money to NASA, you've got to cut money going
to poor housing or veteran hospitals. For this
reason, it is hard for congressmen to justify to their
constituents that they cannot have money for inner
city renewal because the space program needs a new,
updated space launcher.

Like yourself and many others on this list I imagine,
I would like to see NASA commit to an updated cheaper,
reusable human spacecraft. However, until there is a
critical event to push such a project through
Congress, its not gonna happen. Now one positive
outcome of this disaster is that it could be used as
that critical event needed to trigger new development.

- Ryan

--- "victoriatangoman victoriatangoman@...
> A sad day for the space community.
>
> But that doesn't stop the Monday morning
> quarterbacking which has
> started in earnest.
>
> A very interesting article written for the non-space
> enthusiast and
> the author calls for grounding the whole shuttle
> fleet and
> accurately points out the unholy alliance between
> NASA,
> Congressional leaders and the United Space Alliance
> and other
> contractors.
>
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030210-