The Associated Press is reporting that NASA is studying an extension of the shuttle program to 2015. Currently scheduled to terminate in 2010, the shuttle program is the only currently-operational man-rated US lifter. NASA currently plans to take the shuttles out of service to make room in both the budget and the construction areas for the new Orion system, to be launched on the Ares I lifter, first tests of which will occur in September with a pad abort test of the Orion capsule, followed by five more tests over three years of the abort system. An actual launch to orbit of a capsule is not expected until the end of 2012, and the first manned Orion mission is not expected to come any sooner than 2014, and possibly not until 2015 or 2016.
Both major party candidates have called for NASA to receive additional funding to extend the shuttle program. Tensions with Russia have brought into question the viability of purchasing flights on their space capsules, and the ESA is still years away from a manned capsule. It's possible that the shuttle program may last beyond the currently-planned maximum total of 133 missions.
NASA studies extending shuttle program to 2015
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1) Remain civil. Respect others' rights to their viewpoints, even if you believe them to be completely wrong.
2) Sourcing your information is highly recommended. Plagiarism will get you banned.
3) Please create a new thread for a new topic, even if you think it might not get a lot of responses. Do not create mega-threads.
4) If you think the subject of a thread is not important enough to merit a post, simply avoid posting in it. If enough people agree, it will fall off the page soon enough.
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Martin Blank
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NASA studies extending shuttle program to 2015
If I show up at your door, chances are you did something to bring me there.
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Deacon
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Re: NASA studies extending shuttle program to 2015
They shouldn't extend it to 144 missions, because that'd be gross.
The follies which a man regrets the most in his life are those which he didn't commit when he had the opportunity. - Helen Rowland, A Guide to Men, 1922
Re: NASA studies extending shuttle program to 2015
Calus smacks himself for finding that funny.
Edward "Snugglepants" Van Helgen: What! You shot my banjo!
"Do I hear voices? I guess so. I don't worry though, because I have learned to ignore them. They keep telling me the Cubs will win the World Series." Calus
"Do I hear voices? I guess so. I don't worry though, because I have learned to ignore them. They keep telling me the Cubs will win the World Series." Calus
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ampersand
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Re: NASA studies extending shuttle program to 2015
No, no, you should be slapping Deacon for that horrible pun.
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