[Stefan Stackhouse]

Actually the tile problems are over 22 years old.

The choices are:

1. To replace them with something else (cept their isn't anything else).

2. Carefully manage their known issues (which we have done for 113 flights)

3. Stop flying (any other vehicle would have to use similar tiles)

I can think of a 4th option:

4. Use a smaller vehicle, one designed to transport a human payload only, and leave the bulk cargo hauling to large unmanned rockets; smaller vehicle = fewer tiles = fewer possibilities of tiles being damaged.

[John Jamieson]

Yes, I like the idea of a small unpowered shuttle-like manned module on an expendable rocket when need. They called it Dynasoar ca. 1965, I believe. The new expendable (could be derived from ET and SSME designs) should be designed for about 150,000 LEO to support a lunar base and mars missions.