Space shuttle - time to move on?
Next month sees the second "relaunch" of the Space Shuttle, following the Challenger and laterly the Coluimbia disasters. The instalation of heaters on the Shuttles external fuel tank has reduced the risk of ice damage by an "order of magnitude" - according to the BBC quoting NASA sources........
Now much as I admire the American Space effort I feel that NASA have missed an opportunity to move on ....the shuttle first flew 24 years ago, it is IMHO a vulnerable machine, and maybe a rethink was required ...the Russians in contrast have by persisted with their non-reuseable "cast iron" Soyuz Capsules -perhaps they were right?
what does the team think?
Last edited by wiggy; 25th June 2005 at 19:21.