"Revision" wrote:

It looks to me and some others that the ISS was a project devised to give
the Shuttle something to do.

Nope, Shuttle and Station have been part and parcel of The Plan since
the 1960's and part of the Vision since the 1930's.

Perhaps the number of launches budgeted for ISS was determined at
a time when STS launch rates were expected to be higher.

Nope. The ISS was designed in the late 80's to early 90's timeframe.

I think, again in hindsight, that ISS might have been done about as well
with 5-6 modules and a few solar panels.

Not counting the Nodes and other essentially structural or semi-inert
'modules', I come up with 8 active modules at current assembly
complete. So they didn't miss what you 'think' would be proper by
much.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL