Dirty little secret about Space Shuttle is out!

[Texas Diesel]

Some more neat facts:



The original plans for the STS, NASA wanted liquid fueled "SRB's" instead of solid fuel because they would be safer and have the ability to be shut down if needed (aborted launch).

NASA wanted all the fuel to be carried internally, no external fuel tank. Hmmmmm, looks like those to designs alone would have prevented BOTH shutle losses. Perhaps NASA does know how to fly in space. There were other things they wanted to do differently, I posted the link to this information on the TDR already.



The problem is that NASA needed more $ to complete the project and the Democratic Congress would rather feed our enemies around the world ( actually a fact ) then give it to NASA to "waste". NASA got the Air Force to help pay for the shuttle program but with BIG STRINGS attached. The external boosters (SRB's) were soild fuel and the main fuel tank was moved externally to increase payload. Editors note: Spy Birds are heavy.

I partially blame the Air force for getting involved and not leaving NASA to design the shuttle, after all, look at all the experience the AF has in deep space. Isnt everything military over weight?



Dont forget the shuttle in the Model T of space planes, did the first cars have seatbelts or airbags? Man learns by doing.

 

[bvanetten]

"I hope they do away with the space program. It's a waste of taxpayers money. "



This might be a bit dangerous but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that HEMI is right on the money, he just didn't elaborate his point enough. We need to separate the "space program" with space exploration and discovery in general. NASA has done MUCH more to hinder space exploration and discovery than it has done to help it along.





"How 'bout that computer chip in that there computer you've got on your desk... think that studies done on Space Shuttles had nothing to do with that? Just about every single thing you use today, in some way, has been effected by the experiments done in space. "



Your absolutely right, we have all benefited from space experiments. But that's not the point. The point is, how much more could we have benefited from space exploration if a fat slow and wasteful bureaucracy like NASA wasn't behind the wheel?



"Here's a tid-bit of information to think over... the engineers at NASA can probably be regarded as among the top 0. 1% smartest men and women on the face of the Earth "



And don't forget dedicated, focused, and hard working. I bet if you were able to sit down and talk with these people a good portion of them would agree with me. We just need to un-hobble them so they can do what they do more effectively.



For those of you that are interested here is some rather insightful reading



http://www.cato.org/dailys/1-26-98.html