Article

2011-02-25 Science & Technology

Discovery shuttle poised for final launch

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Posted by Fred 2011-02-25 00:00|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 It had a beautiful launch
(see space.com)

Posted by Water Modem 2011-02-25 01:31|| 2011-02-25 01:31|| Front Page Top

#2 We have more than enough money to develop something better IF we had the will. But for roughly the last fifteen years you couldn't get money to develop an RLV or a cheap mass-produced ELV if you actually believed that either was possible.

They took away the contract for developing the DoD RLV from McDonnell Douglas, gave it to Lockheed, and then cancelled it when they couldn't build the fuel tanks the way they said they could. They also gave sole authority to build RLV's to NASA. They've spent most of the time since then trying to build a next-generation expensive expendable launcher around a stretched version of the SRB's that brought us the Challenger Disaster.

All we really have to do is get back into the business of actually building X-vehicles and things would eventually improve a lot.

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2011-02-25 02:17|| 2011-02-25 02:17|| Front Page Top

#3 I think it's far better to put everyone and anyone on the dole than to do silly stuff like space exploration.

/sarc off

Posted by Jefferson 2011-02-25 18:21|| 2011-02-25 18:21|| Front Page Top

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