vthokie wrote:
The current plan to retire the space shuttle around 2010, following
completion of the ISS, seems like it will leave the space station in a
precarious state. Even assuming that we develop the "CEV" for crew
transport functions, how will we make up for the loss of the shuttle's
payload capability and remote manipulator system? Won't components on
the space station require periodic replacement throughout the
station's operational life? Examples would be the Control Moment
Gyros, and perhaps things like solar arrays. Also, how will
experiments be ferried to and from the station. Progress and ATV
vehicles cannot return things back to Earth, and the Soyuz certainly
doesn't have the required payload capability. The CEV doesn't seem
likely to either.

the shuttle, while it is a great technological achievement, should have
been replaced 20 years ago, its far too expensive to justify its use for
things like station construction

as for the station, a more realistic question would be

"Should we continue to support the station?"

To me, the answer is a definite "NO"

Just think about it, the station has been cut, redesigned, scaled back,
and now is deteriorating fast. In its currently planned configuration
the amount of general maintenance needed to just keep it running takes
so much of the crews time that little is left for science

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-04u.html

now that the plan is to have a crew of more than 3 (3 being more likely)
the maintenance mess does not look likely to be ending anytime soon

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches...ew_040723.html

remember the original plan for the station was to have a crew of 6+
which at least would have given some hope for some form of science return

as for the CEV does anyone actually believe that will ever see the light
of day?

its budget has been cut

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-04zp.html

and even if Bush does manage to get the funding restored whats the
chances of it surviving the next budget session (with a different
president?)

its doomed to follow the venturestar and so many other expensive
projects that had next to zero chance of success from the outset

---
Web: www.sol4.net
Jabber:
Block List: sol4.net/spam_blocks.shtml
Powered by Apples and Penguins