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Separate Cargo and Personnel Missions for NASA?

Posted by michael on from the riding-the-rocket dept.

l8f57 writes "Hal Gerham (from the NASA CAIB report) is calling for cargo and people to be separated into different missions. He also goes on about how a re-usable spacecraft may not be the most cost efficient vehicle."

9 of 284 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe, but.... by ChrisHanel · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ironically, the astronaut's luggage would accidentaly be rerouted to Topeka.

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  2. Separate Cargo? by mopslik · · Score: 2, Funny

    Great, another opportunity to lose my luggage once I cough up the $20M.

  3. I wanna fly away ... yeah yeah yeah! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If I call myself "cargo" will I get a cheaper ticket to space?

  4. Easier to have single-use ships? by 192939495969798999 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps it would be more cost-efficient to have a single-use ship system, but we have proven the ability to reuse the ship, and thus we have a responsibility to the universe to not produce more space junk than is absolutely necessary. There is no way to know if one of our spent space capsules, drifting off into the far reaches, might cause some other dawning civilization irreperable harm. Thus, we should use our tech ability to limit the abuse of the prime directive.

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  5. Just what we need... more logistics! by Not_Wiggins · · Score: 3, Funny

    NASA: "In order to ensure the safety of the crew in flight, we're shipping all the dangerous gases, such as highly explosive oxygen, up separately."

    (hours after launch)

    NASA: "Um... we have good news and bad news. The good news is the crew made it into space without a hitch. The bad news is all the cargo that was supposed to go with them was lost due to a malfunction. Errrmmm... how long can you guys hold your breath up there?"

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  6. Re:Is This Wise? by RevMike · · Score: 5, Funny
    Name one thing that they would need to bring up as cargo, that NASA could not replace....?

    If they sent up DVDs so the astronauts could watch movies, they could not replace them since the MPAA wouldn't let them rip a backup copy before the mission left.

  7. just remember to stay away from a fiber rich diet by slim+hades · · Score: 2, Funny

    Of all the answers, maybe we are ready for the carbon-fiber tethered space elevator to be built...
    Its just too bad it'll take a thousand centuries with current technology to manufacture the billion tons of carbon fiber needed manufacture the elevator... sigh... I was looking forward excitingly to the long ride to space, accompanied by a nice Muzak rendition of Michael Bolton's finest... hmmph...

  8. Re:Is This Wise? by pokeyburro · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey, the MPAA is welcome to send a ship up there and get 'em if they want 'em so bad.

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  9. Lost Luggage by No2NT · · Score: 3, Funny

    It goes without saying, almost...

    "I'm sorry, you're luggage is on another flight!"