"Space policy and the size of the space shuttle fleet"

rk wrote:
During the space shuttle era, policy makers have repeatedly wrestled with the

issue of fleet size. The number of shuttles had both practical and symbolic
significance, reflecting the robustness of the space transportation system
and
US preeminence in space. In debating how many shuttles were needed, NASA and
other government entities weighed various arguments to determine the optimum
number of vehicles for human spaceflight. Deliberations and decisions about
shuttle fleet size reflected changing policy priorities and attitudes about
the role of the shuttle. That history frames issues that may arise again in
planning for new space transportation vehicles beyond the shuttle.

Pretty true. According to Jenkins a big reason the "4 orbiter fleet" scheme got
approved was on the basis that the shuttles would be key to national defense,
namely delivering satelites into orbit. If a shuttle were lost then, were there
a smaller fleet, of two or three orbiters, would infringe on that.

Even immedietly after the Challenger disaster it wasn't clear the Vandenberg
launch site was going to be shut down, or what the future of transporting
military payloads into space was. Also Endeavour was an easy build due to the
structural spares and frankly, to show the world, that the program would
continue, so prestige.

Now, post-Columbia, there was no talk of building a new orbiter. There are no
national security needs met by the shuttle, the ISS program has been running
off three orbiters find...Columbia was essentially the switch hitter of the
fleet.

I wonder how things would have gone if say, Atlantis were lost. With the new
RTF regulations, Columbia would be basically out of a job.

-A.L.