Back to the future...
Jan. 9th, 2004 07:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jayI'm dubious of the latest plan... abandoning the shuttle in a couple of years, reverting to a capsule architecture to go back to the Moon by 2013. But at least they have the rationale for the Moon (correctly, IMO) being to prepare to go to Mars by 2020. Otherwise, the Moon itself is close enough that we can easily explore it with telerobotics at much lower cost. Mars, on the other hand, needs humans there because of the transmission lags to Earth.
Now, for the details... what I've heard of the plan thus far sounds like it was written by the JSC old-guard.
Now, for the details... what I've heard of the plan thus far sounds like it was written by the JSC old-guard.
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Date: 2004-01-10 01:36 am (UTC)b) That includes all the aeronautic stuff, like FAA related projects, yes?
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Date: 2004-01-10 08:24 am (UTC)b) Unclear whether it redirects everything within human spaceflight towards the lunar return, or *everything* towards it. Things like on-orbit microgravity research are likely doomed. I'd expect Earth Observing to take huge cuts, if only because if provides data on environmental degradation which is politically uncomfortable to friends of the current administration. One scenario has most aeronautics either cut-outright or transferred to the FAA (one reason for not announcing it on the Wright Brothers' anniversary ;).
no subject
Date: 2004-01-10 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-10 04:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-10 05:50 pm (UTC)