New name for a new shuttle -- How about this:

[wellard]

Hey guys
Dont get me wrong, I would love to see a new genaration space shuttle, though with new engine types on the horizon maybe it should wait a few more years. I cant see the point in just building a new model shuttle. Surely waiting till that is nearer reality and in the mean time investing in uprated telescopes is the go.

my point (rather sarcasticly I'll admit) is can the U.S afford it? Most of you seem to have an healthy dislike to taxes and this new shuttle will cost tens of billions before you take into account even developing a new propulsion system.

or on the other hand you can cut spending... maybe all the agriculture subsidies
for a start. But thats for another debate I guess.

[img]graemlins/abduct.gif[/img]

[Night Stalker]

There is a Kitty Hawk class carrier mothballed in NYC, but I don't think it is the USS Kitty Hawk

[Ziroc]

Besides Liberty (Unity is awesome as well) Great one!

How about Prometheus as well? (NASA has a project by this name--on paper, that uses nuclear power. (groans).

[Nachtrafe]

Originally posted by wellard: Hey guys Dont get me wrong, I would love to see a new genaration space shuttle, though with new engine types on the horizon maybe it should wait a few more years. I cant see the point in just building a new model shuttle. Surely waiting till that is nearer reality and in the mean time investing in uprated telescopes is the go. my point (rather sarcasticly I'll admit) is can the U.S afford it? Most of you seem to have an healthy dislike to taxes and this new shuttle will cost tens of billions before you take into account even developing a new propulsion system. or on the other hand you can cut spending... maybe all the agriculture subsidies for a start. But thats for another debate I guess. [img]graemlins/abduct.gif[/img]

Actually, it wouldn't require a single new tax.

Now, I dont mean to get off on a [img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img] here, but...What it *would* require is for some of the worthless, porkfat, pet projects of various senators and Representatives to be cut, and for that wasted money to be re-allocated to NASA. There was a big deal on the news last night about how in Bush's new budget, NASA would get a budget increase...from 15 Billion to 15.5 Billion...Big, fat, hairy deal! Let's be realistic here. Half a billion dollars is chickenfeed compared to the cost of researching, designing, and building a new shuttle. Today, Cloudy was telling me that she heard on the radio that Bush was upping NASA's budget by "10%"..Well drop my linen...Again...Big fat hairy deal! Their budget needs to be increased by about 300%!! NASA technicians have been crawling out of the woodwork over the past few days, saying that 'NASA cant afford to maintain the shuttles properly'. And that the administration *KNOWS IT*, but, *THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO!* They just dont have the money. Yet, they are constantly told that they have to produce results, and go through the DC Money-Shuffle to get the piddly amount of funding that they have. You cant have it both ways folks. Either NASA needs adequate funding, and clearance to FIX the problems, or, things like this will continue to happen.

On a somewhat related note...Am I the only one who's pissed off that, now that they've died in an horrible way, the seven astronauts are *only now* being regarded as "Heroes"? These people already WERE heroes! Just by dint of the simple fact that they were astronauts! Yet the vultures masquerading as the media are now stroking the sympathy card for all the ratings they can manage. Having hour long 'specials', and 'retrospectives' on 'The New Breed of Hero'! New breed my ass! Ever since Alan B. Shepard, Jr strapped himself to Freedom 7 and was shot into space, these people have been heroes! But now, the only way they even make the news is when something like this happens! And now, of course, every media 'pundit' in the world is crawling up these people's posteriors and milking it for the camera. I mean, c'mon! Every major news outlet in the WORLD was there to see the Shuttle touchdown...that's why they had such good footage! But, it seems to me that, the only reason they even bother anymore is so that they can catch it if something awful happens. Vulture bastards!

But that's just my opinion...I could be wrong!

[Nachtrafe]

Originally posted by Ziroc: Besides Liberty (Unity is awesome as well) Great one! How about Prometheus as well? (NASA has a project by this name--on paper, that uses nuclear power. (groans).

Prometheus sounds awesome as well. Conjures up images of someone going forth into the wilderness(of space), holding up a torch and lighting the way! [img]smile.gif[/img] Awesome idea Z!

[ 02-04-2003, 08:55 AM: Message edited by: Nachtrafe ]

[Cloudbringer]

Originally posted by Nachtrafe: Actually, it wouldn't require a single new tax. Now, I dont mean to get off on a [img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img] here, but...What it *would* require is for some of the worthless, porkfat, pet projects of various senators and Representatives to be cut, and for that wasted money to be re-allocated to NASA. There was a big deal on the news last night about how in Bush's new budget, NASA would get a budget increase...from 15 Billion to 15.5 Billion...Big, fat, hairy deal! Let's be realistic here. Half a billion dollars is chickenfeed compared to the cost of researching, designing, and building a new shuttle. Today, Cloudy was telling me that she heard on the radio that Bush was upping NASA's budget by "10%"..Well drop my linen...Again...Big fat hairy deal! Their budget needs to be increased by about 300%!! NASA technicians have been crawling out of the woodwork over the past few days, saying that 'NASA cant afford to maintain the shuttles properly'. And that the administration *KNOWS IT*, but, *THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO!* They just dont have the money. Yet, they are constantly told that they have to produce results, and go through the DC Money-Shuffle to get the piddly amount of funding that they have. You cant have it both ways folks. Either NASA needs adequate funding, and clearance to FIX the problems, or, things like this will continue to happen. On a somewhat related note...Am I the only one who's pissed off that, now that they've died in an horrible way, the seven astronauts are *only now* being regarded as "Heroes"? These people already WERE heroes! Just by dint of the simple fact that they were astronauts! Yet the vultures masquerading as the media are now stroking the sympathy card for all the ratings they can manage. Having hour long 'specials', and 'retrospectives' on 'The New Breed of Hero'! New breed my ass! Ever since Alan B. Shepard, Jr strapped himself to Freedom 7 and was shot into space, these people have been heroes! But now, the only way they even make the news is when something like this happens! And now, of course, every media 'pundit' in the world is crawling up these people's posteriors and milking it for the camera. I mean, c'mon! Every major news outlet in the WORLD was there to see the Shuttle touchdown...that's why they had such good footage! But, it seems to me that, the only reason they even bother anymore is so that they can catch it if something awful happens. Vulture bastards! But that's just my opinion...I could be wrong!

Actually I said the radio reported Bush was recommending a 22% increase, but close enough.

As for the second part, well, since we discussed it last night, you know my stand but for everyone else's benefit I'll add this: I really think we'd gotten to the point where we (and the media) took space shuttle flights for granted. Sort of like 'another shuttle is off, the morning train was on time, let's go back and discuss Sadam or something interesting'. After the accident it became 'newsworthy' and suddenly the whole space program is in the news and on every 'dateline' type show out there. I think it was always newsworthy, it just became 'old hat' to the media, I guess.