Priorities in government and space

On Aug 4, 2006, at 5:59 PM, Robert wrote:

> considering its age, it should have already been replace. shuttles
> are not inherantly more dangerous or more expensive. but they do get
> old.

Age certainly is a great factor, but I think the design of the
Shuttle is too complex. Too many possible points of failure. An
article I read online this week pointed out one: the foam. The new
CEV will use the same foam as the External Fuel Tank on the shuttle,
however, since the crew capsule will be above the fuel tanks instead
of beside it, there is absolutely zero chance of that foam striking
the crew vehicle. Foam will still fall off and no one will care.
Also, the new CEV has no flimsy wings and rudders and landing gear
and SSME's (main engines) and all that stuff that complicated
everything the shuttle tried to do. The Breakup of Columbia was
caused not just by the foam damage, but by the snapping of the weak
tail of the shuttle during severe yawing.

I guess in some sense Orion may be a step backwards, but with
hindsight I think we have learned that the shuttle was a step in the
wrong direction. It was a medium-lift-launcher, a shuttle, and a
reusable short term space-station with landing gear, all rolled into
one. The ISS is a better space station than the shuttle, and Orion
will be a better lift vehicle than the shuttle. The huge Skylab was
launched with one rocket (wasn't it a Saturn V?). The ISS with its
much smaller modules has taken many launches by the smaller space
shuttle, and still is not finished.

Again, Orion is not the final answer, but we have learned a lot
through the shuttle program, and a 21st century version of the Apollo
rockets using the best of modern technology and computer aided design
is bound to be one mean rocket. Space planes with wings and
horizontal landings will likely be used for commercial passenger
service someday, but not until prices come down. Right now we should
concentrate on improving technology and bringing prices down, instead
of trying to build the final product with current, inadequate
technology.

Don't get me wrong, I love the space shuttle. I'm one of the few who
still watches the launches live, when work permits. I will remember
them fondly when they are retired. I watched Challenger explode live
in my high school physics class, and heard and felt Columbia explode
over my house. But it is time to learn and move on.

doug