Just curious. Why did the US invested in the development of the shuttle? For that matter, 4 shuttles? What did they bring? In fact, it seemed during the 80s, a lot of attention have devoted to the shuttle development and other space programs were scaled back. Shouldn't they have continued their moon missions, or send ship to other planets? Why did they devote their time only to the shuttle?
In fact, the irony is that, the shuttle is now on the verge of retirement!
2007-12-05 22:31:09 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The plan was to have a reliable, reusable space transport system to allow easy access to crewed space stations, deployment of satellites without use of expendable rockets, and even repair or retrieval of satellites from orbit. The value of the shuttle was proved with the Hubble telescope, placed in orbit by a shuttle and repaired by a shuttle crew. Without the shuttle the telescope might have been placed in orbit using other means but it could not have been rapired or serviced, and would be a very expensive piece of junk right now, rather than the amazing piece of equipment it was made to be.
It hasn't panned out as planned, but that should not detract from the achievements it has made, and the reasoning behind its development was sound.
2007-12-05 22:38:26 · answer #1 · answered by Jason T 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
We shuttle was intended to provide cheap access to space. Unfortunately pressures from the military and the government and technological and fiscal limits led to a design that was a compromise and it was neither cheap nor safe. However the US was committed to the project resulting in US space mission being put back decades.
In fact if they had followed the X projects as was intended things would have most likely worked out.
Another example is the X-33 which after spending a huge amount of money on, was canned, when is was the way forward. Our hope now lie with independents like the SpaceShipOne team
2007-12-06 06:41:44 · answer #2 · answered by Mark G 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The moon missions weren't popular anymore and there was only so much 2 people could do.
The shuttle was planned to make space a big thing for lots of people and it did that job to a degree. We wouldn't have been able to put up the space station without the shuttle.
It was originally planned the station would be 10 times larger and have hundreds of people who went up and down in the shuttle like a jet on Earth and that didn't happen.
2007-12-06 09:23:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
It was economic sense to have a reusable craft for sattelite launches and such. The shuttle was and still is a very good decision for the job it does.
With them being so old now and the beatings they take on launch and re-entry, they need replacing badly before the rest cause more loss of life.
NASA needs to restart the X program again and get further with it.
2007-12-09 03:17:50 · answer #4 · answered by cartfan300 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do you like your dish or cable television? Do you like your cell phone? Do you like knowing when there will be a storm in your area? Those are things that were brought to you by the shuttle. If it were not for the shuttle, we would not have anywhere near the ability or capasity of satellites in orbit. Those satellites bring technology into your home to make your life easier. And that is just the beginning but you seem to have your mind made up so I will just stop there.
2007-12-06 08:24:07 · answer #5 · answered by B. 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Yes we just never get caught up.
2007-12-06 10:26:08 · answer #6 · answered by JOHNNIE B 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It proved that NASA only sell Coke because
They can't get 7UP
2007-12-06 06:46:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 6⤋