From Andrew Gray:
In article , Mark wrote:
stmx3 wrote in message news:
...
Never said they *will* build a replacement.

So you're saying that the reason that NASA aren't replacing Columbia
is that they're perfectly happy with only three shuttles, and not
because they don't have a hope in hell of getting the money to do so?

You know, I'm not so sure they do want one. Well, okay, of course they
*want* one...
snip

I'll pipe in here to disagree with that (and support your first take).
I'd say that if you offer NASA another shuttle (for free even) they
might just turn it down. Remember back to when NASA wanted to
mothball Columbia.

There are many at NASA who will breathe a collective sigh of relief at
the final wheelstop of the very last shuttle mission.

It's kind of like the Apollo days when the LLTV had its final flight.
The longer you fly that thing, the more you're inviting a funeral.
There were too many things that could go wrong with the LLTV. All of
the close calls pointed toward future fatality. And the designed crew
escape system was not totally adequate.

In these respects, flying the space shuttle poses very similar risks.


~ CT