NASA names new moon rocket

[Wraith]

The name of the space shuttles replacement is.......... Orion

I think Piacular should now use his NASA "connections" to get me a ride to the moon (return trip obviously)

Wraith

 

[Piacular]

Oooh, seperate crew and cargo launchers. Interesting!

Looks shit though .

I wonder if NASA feel silly about dropping thier STS style because it was wwwaaayyyy more expensive than the options it should've been cheaper than .

 

[Nanor]

Oh, look at Pia, the inside man.

 

[DeZmond]

Nasa must be crazy for not doing a complete shuttle redesign instead of taking a massive backward step by using the rocket/ lunar module approach. In a style closely apeing that of the '60s. Insane I tell you! Okay as a first step, but I hope they are making use of this time to do a fancy updated redesign of the shuttle, or at least some form of reusable transport.

 

[MadGinga]

The re-usable STS i.e. the shuttle, was never supposed to last as long as it has, hence why they're falling apart

The best replacement sytem they could go for would have been a "space plane", similar in concept to the Space Ship One that won the X-prize, and is the basis for Virgin Galactic. But because this concept would have needed huge amounts of design, testing and experimentation (even though it would give the best long term benefit) they've opted for the short term "cheap" option of tried and tested rocket booster stacks.

I won't even mention the safety issues of strapping a crew in a tin can onto what is essentially a poorly controlled bomb...

 

[Fuzzy Bunny]

You mean like a DC-8's with rocket motors instead of propellers?

 

[DeZmond]

Never trusted DC-10's myself, what a crazy place to put an engine (at the base of the tail fin)

 

[Nanor]

What DeZmond is talking about:

Looks like something I made out of lego..