Re: starship-design: re: scrap the shuttle

[KellySt@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/9/02 11:06:44 PM, clmanges@yahoo.com writes:

>Lee went into some detail about how NASA's percentage of all launches keeps
>getting smaller. To me, this looks like a function of the number of countries
>and corporations wanting to put communications satellites in orbit -- I'm
>guessing that they find it cheaper and quicker than they could get the
>service from NASA, and without the extra red tape as well.

Course the question really is, why have we no competative launch services.  
Likely its just NASA preserving turf, and not wanting to fund research to 
unseat themselves.

A better question is how to start a industry big enough to attrack 
commercials enough to shove NASA out of the way.



>He also seems to disparage the Russians for selling astronaut tickets to
>a few rich folks who just want an exotic vacation trip. Hey, more power
>to 'em! The Russian economy is a mess, and by some accounts, their government
>went straight from Communism to Mafia, so if this is a way for them to
>fund some space work, why not? True, they haven't been pulling their weight
>with the ISS, but again, their economy . . . well, they're still fighting
>Chechens. Who wants to bet that NASA won't get shaved a bit to make room
>in the billfold for kicking Sadam's ass? Cruise missiles are $1M each,
>last I heard.
>
>Bottom line of all this is -- FOLLOW THE MONEY!

NASA is a government agency.  Cost means nothing, politics means everything.

Also the NASA's budgets to small to mater.  Dept of Ag spends moer then that 
keeping food of the market to keep up prices.

;)



>
>Keep looking up,
>
>Curtis


Kelly