Posted on 07/13/2005 5:35:08 PM PDT by KevinDavis
NASA is considering retiring a Space Shuttle orbiter in 2007 and beginning modifications to one Shuttle launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center under a plan now being reviewed at NASA headquarters, according to senior agency sources.
Driving the idea of a phased retirement of the space vehicles are two concerns. The first is a desire for finding new sources of funds to pay for advancement of the President's moon-to-Mars plan. And secondly NASA Administrator Michael D. Griffin's fears of a third Shuttle accident.
A source familiar with Griffin's thinking said he is worried that an age-related malfunction would trigger a Shuttle catastrophe. As a result, the space chief is seeking to retire the individual Space Shuttle orbiters as quickly as possible.
No final decision has been made - but discussions continued as Discovery was being prepared for launch.
The idea of phased Shuttle retirement is being promoted both by planners involved in the ongoing Exploration Systems Architecture Study and the Bush White House. Concern is mounting that delays in the operational status of an Earth-orbit version of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and Congressional pressure to keep the Shuttles flying until the CEV is available might result in extension of the Shuttle retirement date beyond the fall of 2010.
(Excerpt) Read more at spaceref.com ...
How much would it cost to fly the Shuttle remotely?
If not I will be greatly disapointed in NASA, retiring the SS is probably a good idea, after a service mission to Hubble.
More...
The only reason to fly it is to carry people. There are cheaper ways to get cargo into space.
Interesting, but they got to get to the Hubble first.
My truck is 11 years old and in pretty good shape, but I am not about to drive the AlCan highway with it.
I think shuttle retirement is premature, but planning and production of its replacement are overdue.
"The first is a desire for finding new sources of funds to pay for advancement of the President's moon-to-Mars plan."
Moars? Oh brother. How about a smaller, 21st century technology shuttle?
How about we find a way to control the LaGrange points between the earth and the moon, then go to the moon. Mars is cool and all that, but I think the real advantage is to control space close to the earth first.
Russia flew theirs by remote control. Can be done. The ship is nearly completely automated anyway. How is the progress toward the robotic Hubble mission coming? Haven't heard much.
What ever happened to the Jarvis heavy lift rocket?
Maybe we should fire up the Energiya rocket tooling.
I heard a senior staffer to Milkulski say that it was DOA.
Yeah, I think so too. We would have heard something by now if they were working on the robots.
It would have cost more to have the robot to fix the hubble then sending the shuttle... I say dump the hubble...
The Hubble is nearing the end of its career. The next generation of space telescopes will be even more powerful and useful to science.
Exactly.....
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