[lepton]

One of the issues, is that we must have enough stuff up there to hold enough workers (human or robotic) to prepare for the later steps. As the Space Station gets bigger, it will be able to hold more people, which will enable it to do more things.

The Space Shuttle is old, and technologically marginal. Compare the Columbia to the Endeavor...then look at what a new generation craft might be able to do. The crafts that he describes as apparent alternates are wholly unable to do more than a few of the Shuttle's missions, aside from the essential return to earth.

[Liberal Classic]

Part of what I got out of his essay is the Keep It Simple, Stupid principle. Perhaps a simpler manned launch vehicle and a larger heavy-lift vehicle are what we need. Not that the shuttle isn't a bad idea, but I've heard that having both the space station and the shuttle is like having a recreational vehicle and a cabin out in the woods. Are both really necessary, when one would do the job? Maybe we need a simple car to get into orbit to visit the cabin. Or perhaps we just need the Winnebago?

Certianly a resuable vehicle has (in theory anyhow) a cost advantage. Perhaps the next shuttle should be a lighter manned vehicle with less cargo capacity, and a giant simple lifting body for cargo. Separate the manned part from the cargo part.

Pardon my disorganized post. I'm just woolgathering while working on the weekend.