wrote:

Ben Hallert wrote:

The manned craft will obviously have to splash down in the ocean!

Obviously, just like the Soyuz, right?

Oh wait.. Soyuz lands on... well, land. If Rogalo parachutes are
used, no reason these new guys can't land on a runway or the front lawn
at KSC.


Ben, my main point, that you apparently missed, is that NASA
intends to go back to the methods of 40 years ago. But with
the disaster that has been the shuttle program, I guess this
inclination is understandable.

I'm not sure I'd characterize the Shuttle Program as a "disaster".
Including the latest, the shuttles have flown 114 missions in a pretty
"grueling" environment. The fact that NASA and contractor engineers and
scientists may have under estimated the rigours and over estimated the
life expectancy of these craft wouldn't be strange given the novel
design considerations and virtual complete lack of experience. I suspect
that it they can fund a replacement design, it will prove to be a
significantly better craft and that they (and we) will have more
realistic expectations...

....Ken