should space shuttle be cancelled?

Joann Evans wrote:
The biggest flaw is being a vehicle that even *needs* a crew escape
system.

We only do this in aircraft where some outside force may actively be
trying to destroy you. (fighters and bombers)

While combat losses are correctly the origin of interest
in ejection seats, they have saved far more pilots in peacetime
than in war, according to the statistics I have seen.

They are now installed on non-combat aircraft such as trainers.

Almost everything else is
sufficently robust that we don't consider it, we expect 'intact abort'
in virtually all cases.

Note that escape and hard abort systems are now
proliferating in light aircraft. See for example
the light aerobatics ejection seat the Russians
are selling here nowadays, and the great sales
and saves that BRS Parachutes are getting.
BRS has saved something like 179 people so far.

Aviation isn't as robust as you claim it is.



-george william herbert