> -----Original Message----- > From: Gruss Gott [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 11:59 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: Discovery > > > Nick wrote: > > I think space exploration is a very useful endeavor. I would love to see > us > > colonize other worlds. > > > > I agree! I just think the shuttle does squat to further that goal.
Well... not really. The Shuttle is a step (and a thirty-year old step at that) into space. Space Stations (like the ISS), are the next logical step in this direction (permanent platforms in orbit). Although we can make the moon fairly easily from Earth launching from Space has some benefits and is more elegant. A base on the moon, if the base could mine lunar ice and minerals and product its own fuel, would be a great launch pad for a Mars mission. However a lunar base still dependent on Earth for all supplies wouldn't be so great since you have much higher energy requirements to get everything needed from the Earth to the Moon (although it would allow for things to be done in stages). > I don't see how the shuttle does anything for anything. Much of the shuttle tech is applicable to these future missions. The shuttle was the first vehicle to consider working in space as a priority. Nothing we've learned on the Shuttle missions is going to waste. There's also the minor point that the shuttle is largely responsible for building the ISS. But that's just the manned missions. The Shuttle is also largely responsible for maintaining our dominance in global satellite maintenance and control, for keeping the Hubble doing its thing and for many other accomplishments across its history. I forget where but I remember a study showing how much money the shuttle saved vrs an imaginary timeline had traditional, disposable rockets been used for all it's missions (although not all mission objective would have been the same of course). It was a very substantial savings. The problem isn't the shuttle but rather a reluctance to fund those next steps that the shuttle has made feasible just as Apollo made the shuttle feasable. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:166442 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
