Cardman wrote:
Yes, except that we should keep in mind that the Saturn V was not a
very good concept due to the staging. As to just have the lower
engines doing all the work while the other engines sit ideal was not a
very good idea.

Staging is your friend. Stage early, stage often, or don't stage at all.


Ok, now I would really take anyone who says that the Shuttle should be
kept running out back and shoot them. ;-]

Keep the shuttle running.

Abandoning it before a functional replacement is in place is a
sure way to lose the manned spaceflight program in the US entirely.

For the same reason, ISS should be kept going.

Sunk costs and such are gone. As dumb as some earlier
decisions were, we have to go forwards to improve
things not give up because of all we have wasted.


-george william herbert