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Possible Return of Apollo
- Thread starter wdlove
- Start date
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Re: Re: Possible Return of Apollo
That is just what we did after Apollo I. We learned from the mistake that caused the tragic death of 3 fine astronauts. They found that pure oxygen was a mistake and added nitrogen. NASA was able to learn from it's mistake and move on sucessfully. The only glitch in the program after that was Apollo 13. In that case NASA shined by bringing the men home safely.
That is just what we did after Apollo I. We learned from the mistake that caused the tragic death of 3 fine astronauts. They found that pure oxygen was a mistake and added nitrogen. NASA was able to learn from it's mistake and move on sucessfully. The only glitch in the program after that was Apollo 13. In that case NASA shined by bringing the men home safely.
Safety always involves a tradeoff. If we spent the entire GNP on NASA safety, we'd have remarkably few accidents. If we paid more for every part rather than try to choose the lowest bidders, vendors could spend more effort/time/money on safety issues. Safety is a concern, but not the only one, and we have to accept that to have a practical space program.
i hope they really don't. the shuttles were a huge leap from the big and cumbersome appollos. NASA really need to get their act together and create soemthing innovative. they need a space obsessed version of Steve Jobs. everycompany needs one of those. lol. 
so true, just thinking of going back to capsules is a mistake and goes to show just how lost Nasa really is. being able to launch only from a rocket and then parachute down where ever the wind blows and then back to chasing capsules and plucking them out of the water is right out of the 60's. terrific! if this is the best from Nasa its time for a new space agency.
damn, getting in on this late...
in the article - "'We need to field a system that does not require an inordinate amount of [research and development], and it must be a system that is not overly expensive to develop, operate and maintain,''
totally true, but the rocket launched capsule is a step backward. I'm for it if it keeps us in the game in the short term, provided money is earmarked for space plane development.
Also the idea of using something that big to get nice sized payloads into high earth orbit would be quite nice. I would imagine that they'd be able to lift quite a few pieces of the the ISS where the Russians or the Shuttle would require several launches.
If it saves money, fine. But they shouldn't keep from getting a Venture Star or other space plane developed.
I'm still a bit amazed about the orbital X-15 that was in development in the early 60s that got scrubbed to push ahead with Apollo in the first place. I imagine we'd have a working fleet of space planes by now getting us into earth orbit on a monthly or weekly basis if it had been funded and continued. Only we probably wouldn't have made it to the moon.
D
in the article - "'We need to field a system that does not require an inordinate amount of [research and development], and it must be a system that is not overly expensive to develop, operate and maintain,''
totally true, but the rocket launched capsule is a step backward. I'm for it if it keeps us in the game in the short term, provided money is earmarked for space plane development.
Also the idea of using something that big to get nice sized payloads into high earth orbit would be quite nice. I would imagine that they'd be able to lift quite a few pieces of the the ISS where the Russians or the Shuttle would require several launches.
If it saves money, fine. But they shouldn't keep from getting a Venture Star or other space plane developed.
I'm still a bit amazed about the orbital X-15 that was in development in the early 60s that got scrubbed to push ahead with Apollo in the first place. I imagine we'd have a working fleet of space planes by now getting us into earth orbit on a monthly or weekly basis if it had been funded and continued. Only we probably wouldn't have made it to the moon.
D