Phil Bagust wrote:
Dissapointing but perhaps inevitable and at least the thing is 95% built
and the launch vehicle exists. Hell, at this stage why doesnt NASA just
buy the basic ATV technology and add a pressure vessel for the 'spam in
a can' and get their CEV that way?

[ducks]

I think that one, or both, of the potential CEV contractors
were planning on including European subcontractors who
would bring ATV expertise, and maybe even hardware,
with them. A proven ATV auto-docking system might be
especially appealing. The choice of methane propulsion
seems to preclude simple adaptation of the ATV
propulsion module, however.

It sure looks like ATV, with a recovery capsule added,
could get Europeans into space, if Europe wanted to go
that route. It might even find a role in the Kliper effort.

- Ed Kyle

In article .com,
"Ed Kyle" wrote:

First launch by Europe's new Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) has
been delayed another year, until 2007, by development problems.
The original plan was to fly ATV in 2004.

ATV is almost a human-class spaceship. I suspect that NASA's
CEV development will see delays of this long, or longer. 2012
could become 2015 or later in no time. Years could pass without
U.S. human spaceflight.

"http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEMEHL638FE_0.html"

- Ed Kyle