[RightWhale]

Probably there is more purpose to NASA's manned flight programs than merely testing old hardware.

[RFEngineer]

"Probably there is more purpose to NASA's manned flight programs than merely testing old hardware."

To fund the russians space tourism industry, and to create a platform for the commercial marketing arm of the russian space agency (ala the "golf ball" ad of a month ago).

NASA has no pride whatsoever. The Russians completely had their way with the incompetent bureaucrats of NASA with regards to the International Space Station, and continue to do so to this day.

We need to have a space capability, but sadly, NASA isn't about excellence in spaceflight, it's about bureaucracy and sending the first all-lesbian crew into space or comparable meaningless political gestures du jour.

[repentant_pundit]

you're right - it's also a federal jobs program.

.