Henry Spencer wrote:

Short of resorting to seriously unconventional configurations, I suspect
the only way to save this turkey would be to ditch the idea of getting to
orbit with two stages -- a perfectly reasonable idea, but not if the first
is a shuttle SRB -- and concede that the Porklauncher IB has to have three
stages, and the second has to be LOX/kerosene rather than LOX/LH2. But my
guess would be that the hydrogen religion is too deeply entrenched by now
for MSFC to swallow that.


I'd like to see that one- if this thing's the stick; that one would be
the pencil.

I don't think they're going to make this one work without rethinking at
least one major past decision -- something they've never been good at. So
they've got a choice between using an EELV variant for crew launches, or
biting the bullet and going straight to the Porklauncher V. I'd guess
they will do the latter, just because the former smacks much too much of
admitting defeat.


Ares V is way-too-capable of a vehicle for earth orbital missions,
unless you are going to build a very large space station.
I think in fairly short order the new Congress is going to go looking
around for things to cut out of the budget, and this particular space
program will be one of them.

Pat