Jeff Findley wrote:
"David Spain" wrote in message
...
No argument from me about fly-back reusable craft (assuming launched from
EELVs) being preferable to water-landing capsules. Dry landing capsules,
well
maybe.

However, isn't the orbit of the ISS non-optimal for departure/return lunar
trajectories?

It's not so much that as the payload penalty you pay to launch from KSC into
ISS's much higher inclination orbit.

The payload penalty is higher for the space shuttle than it is for ELVs,
because the orbiter's mass counts against payload.