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#26 2003-02-12 15:57:51
- dicktice
- Member
- From: Nova Scotia, Canada
- Registered: 2002-11-01
- Posts: 1,764
Re: A Fleet Plan - Shuttles, OSPs, and beyond
Gee, I'm disappointed no one has taken me up on the Andes sled-boosting scheme. My motive, as always, was to suggest a scheme possible to accomplish within my own lifetime, since I'm not all that young.... 
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#27 2003-03-14 17:19:21
- Ad Astra
- Member
- Registered: 2003-02-02
- Posts: 584
Re: A Fleet Plan - Shuttles, OSPs, and beyond
If NASA operates the shuttle until 2020 (a proposition that I disagree with,) they will need to replace Columbia. It is impractical to re-open the shuttle production lines (it was hard enough with Endeavour, and even then many parts were built as backups for Discovery and Atlantis.) One option that has been lost is rebuilding Enterprise, which was considered before Columbia first flew. Enterprise is now part of the Smithsonian collection, and I doubt they will be too pleased about NASA taking it back after all the work that went into restoring it.
The best plan of action is for NASA to realize that the Shuttle cannot fly until 2020. The shuttle should be a museum piece by 2015, and until then it should only be flown on ISS construction missions that are absolutely necessary. Higher priority must be given to a reusable booster for the OSP, and for the OSP program in general.
Who needs Michael Griffin when you can have Peter Griffin? Catch "Family Guy" Sunday nights on FOX.
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