NASA going back to Apollo?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

My brother sent me this article tonight and I thought I'd share it here. Part of me says "it's a step backwards" and that we need to do something else. But another part says "Yes, this is what we need to do. This would allow us to move beyond Earth orbit!" I do believe something needs to be done, the current shuttle system is out dated now.

 

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA (news - web sites) may replace its troubled fleet of space shuttles with a new generation of Apollo-type space capsules, a top space agency official said on Wednesday.

 

"Certainly we have considerable amount of experience flying with capsules," Dr. John Rogacki, director of NASA's space transportation directorate, told Reuters. "One might say on the capsule side it could be that that design experience may lead to a capsule being available sooner than a winged vehicle."

 

Unlike shuttles that land like airplanes, capsules splash down in the ocean and must be recovered by ships.

 

The resurrection of space capsules, which last launched three decades ago, is gaining favor among astronauts, space agency officials and congressional staffers after the shuttle Columbia disaster that killed seven astronauts on Feb. 1.

 

The 13 members of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board were unanimous in urging NASA to replace the aging shuttles as soon as possible by using existing technology and materials.

 

NASA said on Tuesday that the next space shuttle flight, designed to test repairs that might have saved Columbia, would not make a March launch target and might not fly until midsummer.

 

The space agency has spent billions of dollars since the mid-1990s trying unsuccessfully to design a new winged spacecraft, begging the question of whether a winged plane could be delivered by 2008 under a now accelerated timetable.

 

"Boy, I really don't want to speculate on that because I don't want to inadvertently or unintentionally signal to our contractors that I think it is likely or it is not likely," Rogacki said.

 

15 TO 20 YEARS

 

Corin Segal, an aerospace scientist at the University of Florida, picked by NASA to design new systems, has estimated that development of the technology to produce a truly safe, winged reusable spacecraft could take 15 to 20 years.

 

Detailed requirements for what has been called an orbital space plane were issued by NASA this week to three contractor teams who will propose designs and compete for the work.

 

For now, NASA is careful to avoid publicly expressing any opinion on what shape the new craft should take, and to stress that there are pros and cons to winged and capsule designs.

 

But NASA spokesman Bob Jacobs said there was no requirement that the craft be plane-like despite its name.

 

"We haven't spelled out that it has to glide back to Earth and land like a plane. That's not a requirement," Jacobs said.

 

The capsule design gained momentum in March from a study headed by astronaut John Young, who has flown in both capsules and shuttles. Young, as well as Michael Kostelnick, head of NASA's human space flight program, cite the versatility of the capsule, which can move beyond low Earth orbit to the moon or beyond.

 

Rogacki said the orbital space plane requirements did not demand the vehicle be capable of deep space travel but that NASA will be looking at its ability to support missions beyond the International Space Station (news - web sites).

 

"There is a great potential for using the orbital space plane system as a basis for future exploration vehicles," Rogacki said.

 

The thermal tiles and wing panels used on the shuttle today could not withstand the heat and stress of trans-lunar re-entries.

 

From Yahoo News

 

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ace_capsules_dc

[trekzone 0]

while reading this article, i started singing the lyrics of "Fly Me To The Moon!" the Vic Fontane version.

 

 

oh well, thought id share that with you all!

[Admiral Kirk 1]

My feelings about this are mixed.. I like the idea of using the capsule design again because that's what got us to the moon. My other point is that yes I think the shuttle should be retired because even if you revamp them it's still old technology. I was hoping for something which is cheaper to use but is far more advanced and faster than the shuttles and the old capsules.