Shuttle/Space Policy Historical Development (Was: What good is the Shuttle?)

"Jorge R. Frank" wrote:

(Derek Lyons) wrote in news:44b272fd.242789375
:

"Skylon" wrote:

Shuttle as an X-series program though? For whatever reason I see that
like this. Maybe fly the first two orbiters, for a good few years with
minimum crews, if you want to launch some payloads, fine but see how
the vehicle works and don't treat it like an operational beast. Then by
the late 1980's/early 90's prepare for two new shuttles based off the
data learned from the first two.

You miss the point.

Jorge proposes picking up in the early 70's where we left off in the
early 60's - start with X-15 derivatives and work towards Shuttle.

I propose something even more radical - Mercury et al *should never
have flown in the first place*. We never should have taken that
propoganda driven route of cheap disposable capsules *in the first
place*.

Well, I was talking in terms of 1972 "what-if" scenarios. If we're talking
1959 "what-if" scenarios, I'd take yours as well.

I'm not talking a "what-if" scenario Jorge. I'm seriously proposing
that, historically speaking, we messed up our space policy big time
somewhere around 1958. We had a second chance - but then Kennedy
backed away from 'space supremacy' as policy, and replaced it with a
policy of meeting the Russians where they chose to compete rather than
defining the competition on our own terms. (Not, mind you, that I can
see any reasonable way the decisions could have gone differently.)

We've been living with the consequences of both decisions ever since.
Worse yet, the fanboys insist that the current situation is
inevitable... (Mostly because alternate scenarios don't allow a
return to Apollo and the Heroic Days of Yesteryear.)

You realize, of course, that we're *both* committing heresy this time,
since in that timeline Apollo would never have occurred...?

These groups would benefit greatly from more heresy being added to the
mix. The quality of thought has steadily declined, and the level of
Party Lines and Groupthink has raised considerably, over the last few
years.

Of course, the compensation is considerable - we'd likely have had frequent
and relatively) affordable access to LEO since the mid-80s to early-90s, and
would by now probably be on the moon *to stay*...

That's a rosy scenario - I'd rate it as "probably certain" myself.

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

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