The strangest space vehicle

[Platapus]

I was just using the numbers I got from NASA sources back in 94.

[eddie]

John Young, who flew on the first shuttle flight, has quite a history with NASA. Flew in Project Gemini, made 2 flights to the moon, drove the lunar rover on the lunar surface, and had 2 flights on the shuttle! What a career he had!

[Tango589]

Apropos absolutely nothing apart from idle wondering: now the Shuttle has gone the way of all things, what are they using to ping stuff into space? 1/2 mile of industrial strength knicker elastic and a troop of Boy Scout to pull it back?

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Tango589

Apropos absolutely nothing apart from idle wondering: now the Shuttle has gone the way of all things, what are they using to ping stuff into space? 1/2 mile of industrial strength knicker elastic and a troop of Boy Scout to pull it back?

Even with the STS the military still used Atlas/Delta rockets. For missions to the ISS we are still using Russia. The ISS was put in an orbit to make it easier for the Russians to get to it

[Wolferz]

Nice synopsis there Neon.

Still, what have we got to show for all those dollars spent, other than an assembled space station? Many shuttle missions carried secret payloads of which we the folks who signed the credit card receipts know zip about.
Once the shuttles were finished with catching foreign satellites and installing the NSA *upgrades* their mission was over.

I feel that NASA has accomplished the purpose for which it was created and can now turn things over to the private sector for all future slingshots. The secret stuff can still be launched by the Air Force much cheaper.

[razark]

Originally Posted by eddie

What a career he had!

He flew everything except Mercury. And he only retired in 2004.

Originally Posted by Wolferz

I feel that NASA has accomplished the purpose for which it was created and can now turn things over to the private sector for all future slingshots.

I'd love to see NASA move on to exploration missions, such as a return to the Moon and trips to Mars, which aren't going to be profitable for a private company. Leave the LEO missions, ISS supply, and satellite launching to the private industry.