Under Construction

Space Venturing, Wednesday, November 7^th

The next generation of NASA space vehicles look like they were designed by ATK, Space Systems, NASA’s rocket booster vendor. It’s back to the moon with Apollo-type system and ATK’s solid-rocket boosters. According to ATK’s ads the knowledge gained by the Apollo program enhanced by the solid-rocket boosters and the new RS-68 rocket engines will give the required systems. The Ares I will deliver 58,000 pounds to orbit (usually the crew and the crew exploration vehicle) and the Ares V will deliver about 300,000 pounds to orbit. Two engineers working at NASA JSC in Houston told me that they thought the next generation was a step backwards. I‘ve always thought that the Edwards AFB approach of using manned-aircraft landing at an airport was the way to go. Now, come on – a capsule landing on land with a cushion for a shock absorber or the old water landings?
The International Space Station is near completion – a goal in itself, occupied by the two or three astronauts required to keep it going isn’t accomplishing much. It was put in an orbit that will allow the Russian Soyuz and Progress vehicles to resupply the station and rotate th flight crews. Little science is being done, the goal being to complete the space station and fulfill international obligations. NASA and powerful politicians want to keep its earmarks operatiing and the political sensitive jobs going. Does anybody out there think that Viet Nam killed the Apollo program? We can’t go to Mars on a wing and a prayer like we went to the moon but NASA is not providing the infrastructure to make it possible in the short term.