In article .com,
"dasun" wrote:

Given financial & political realities this is the best we could have
hoped for.

Since it's what we actually got, this statement is true by tautology,
but that's hardly comforting. I actually hoped for much better.

See it for what it is - a starting point that gives an
industrial and experience base for grander journeys in the future.

I think it gives the wrong kind of experience base for any grander
journeys.

As someone who just remembers Armstrong taking his first step I would love
to have seen a more definitive Mars direction but I am just glad that a
window beyond LEO has finally opened let us hope the politicians do not
close it.

Actually, the lack of any focus on Mars is the one good thing about the
plan; to attempt to put flags and footprints on Mars would have been an
even more colossal waste.

AS for the stick and using shuttle hardware, well why not?

Because it is far too expensive. It makes any real progress with it
untenable. Yet, supported by taxes, it competes with commercial
providers who could do the same work for much lower real costs, and at
the same time open up space for the rest of us.

At least it
is a known and I have little faith in brand new systems and even
smaller faith in the nascent commercial space industry being able to
deliver on their promises.

I find your lack of faith... disturbing.

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