Until we have the capability to return large pieces of equipment back to Earth, I doubt anyone will be willing to design it. If we want the future Moon landings to be more than "flags & footprints", then we are going to have to have equipment that can be used for long periods and sent back to Earth for servicing and refurbishment. Some servicing can be done on site, but major work will still have to be done back on Earth. Flimsy throw away junk is not the way to go.
IMO, the current STS is a prototype system. Over the past 25 years, a great deal of engineering data has been collected on it and its shortcomings have been shown. Now instead of throwing all of that data away, a 2nd generation shuttle should be built to take advantage of advances in technology and in lessons learned. Nasa is working on a launcher that rivals the Energia, why not design a shuttle that takes lessons from Buran?
Space/Science » in reply to re: the downhill leg of the journey
That's where vision is required.
The whole thread (37 posts)
- Once the STS system is cancelled, how will large segments be transported to ISS?
- Hopefully all the heavy lift for ISS will be done first.
- re: There will always be heavy equipment to return to Earth so that doesn't work. (n/t)
- Why? I don't buy the assumption.
- I didn't say it was great.
- Do it the MIR / Skylab way
- re: I also didn't say you did. The real problem is the downhill leg of the journey. Non of the solutions right now take that in to consideration. (n/t)
- Not at the rate they're going
- re: There will always be heavy equipment to return to Earth so that doesn't work. (n/t)
- Hopefully all the heavy lift for ISS will be done first.