Re: How to be immune from budget cuts

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 18:46:04 -0400, "S. Wand" <sewand@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>> >The problem is that there are things that would work, and much more
>> >cost effectively. And they're doing it with other peoples' money.
>>
>> I'm beginning to think you're right. I've seen some proposals here
>> that don't strike me as particularly practical -- pin the program on
>> SpaceX, use small boosters rather than developing an HLV. But I don't
>> see any reason we couldn't use the Delta or Atlas for the CEV, thereby
>> saving most of the $5 billion or so allocated for its development,
>> with SpaceX an option if their program is successful and they can
>> offer lower launch costs.
>
>Seems very reasonable. The current Stick/CEV is bloated for the purpose of
>getting a 4-man capsule into space. By using EELV-class launchers you gain
>the advantage of redundancy if one launcher develops problems.
>
>> Unless someone can make a good safety
>> argument against it, It seems to me we could save $100 million per
>> moon mission by lofting the CEV on the HLV, as you propose.
>
>Plus there won't be pressure to launch before the upper stage boils off the
>liquid hydrogen.
>
>> And it
>> seems to me that we could save a lot of the $15-20 billion development
>> cost of the CEV and HLV by sharing development with the Europeans and
>> Russians. That would leave $10 billion or so for the development of
>> advanced vehicles.
>
>Sounds good in principle, but in practice it failed with ISS. I think we'd
>spend more money with delays and design compromises.

That does seem to be the downside. Not to mention the treaty
obligations . . .

--
Josh

"This is a devastating storm. This is a storm that's
going to require immediate action now." -George W. Bush,
four days after Hurricane Katrina
.

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