To: DoughtyOne
It doesnt make sense to me to completely redesign a launch system for a craft at the very end of its life expectancy. First, I'm criticizing W for his Moon and Mars boondoggle, not anything to do with the Shuttle.
Second, what makes you think the Shuttles are at the end of their life expectancy? Each Orbiter only has a few dozen missions. The avionics and computers have all been upgraded, and the Shuttle still carries a lot of prestige.
29 posted on
05/12/2009 12:56:18 PM PDT by
Moonman62
(The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
To: Moonman62; DoughtyOne
what makes you think the Shuttles are at the end of their life expectancy? Each Orbiter only has a few dozen missions. The avionics and computers have all been upgraded, and the Shuttle still carries a lot of prestige.
—
structurally, if kept up mechanically , they could fly quite a few more missions. they are essentially a space truck, the lack of suitable launch options is the only thing keeping some of the fleet flying for many years.
I wonder if they are still flying HP computers, I remember all the fun they had in the old days. nowadays, laptops are capable of running a lot of the onboard gear.
I’d hate to see them go. too bad we have a gubamint that doesn’t have the foresight to do the right thing and build more of the right stuff on the launch pad.
32 posted on
05/12/2009 1:02:31 PM PDT by
NormsRevenge
(Semper Fi ... Godspeed.)
To: Moonman62
If they used a fraction of the money for W's Mars boondoggle, they could design a new launcher that would put the Orbiter at the top of the stack.
You may not have meant to diss Bush, but you did make it sound like you think a misdirection of funds was causing the continued problem with the orbiter launches.
It doesnt make sense to me to completely redesign a launch system for a craft at the very end of its life expectancy.
First, I'm criticizing W for his Moon and Mars boondoggle, not anything to do with the Shuttle.
That may be what you intended to do, but you should keep the two separate if that's really your intention.
Second, what makes you think the Shuttles are at the end of their life expectancy? Each Orbiter only has a few dozen missions. The avionics and computers have all been upgraded, and the Shuttle still carries a lot of prestige.
These are the number of missions and date of first flight for each shuttle. LINK
36 08/30/83 Discovery
30 10/03/85 Atlantis
22 05/07/92 Endeavor
NASA thinks it's time to take Discovery and Atlantis out of service. That's good enough for me. The Endeavor probably does have more missions in store. The problem with that is that there will be no back-up.
You seem to think a launch redesign is indicated. How long do you think that would take, and would it be advisable for just one remaining shuttle? The cost and ticking clock on that effort leaves me thinking not.
My main concern right now is that Orion is going to turn out to be nothing more than a next generation orbiter. If it does wind up being that, any real chance for easy frequent access and turn around to space will be thwarted for another 30 years.
37 posted on
05/12/2009 1:33:49 PM PDT by
DoughtyOne
(Pres__ent Obama's own grandmother says he was born in Kenya. She was there.)
To: Moonman62
For a guy whose nickname is Moonman62, you certainly don’t have a clue.
59 posted on
05/12/2009 3:45:26 PM PDT by
AntiKev
("Within the strangest people, truth can find the strangest home." - Great Big Sea - Company of Fools)
To: Moonman62
Second, what makes you think the Shuttles are at the end of their life expectancy? Each Orbiter only has a few dozen missions. The avionics and computers have all been upgraded, and the Shuttle still carries a lot of prestige. As one who worked on the project (I saw it "flying" in wind tunnels long before the first one was ever built), I can say they were expected to be replaced by *something* long before now. That we're still using them speaks only to the cutbacks in the space program -- and maybe to the skills of the 60s & 70s designers.
73 posted on
05/12/2009 6:02:31 PM PDT by
sionnsar
((Iran Azadi | 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | "Also sprach Telethustra" - NonValueAdded)
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson