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Energiya Pushes For A 6-Person Space Capsule
voss writes "Apparently the Russians want to build their own reusable capsule called the Clipper that can be used up to 25 times and can fit 6 people. They also say they can build their ship in 5 years. The key here is if they can get the funding. The shuttle will be retired in 2010 and with no credible replacement on the horizon...why doesn't NASA give the Russians a chance?"
<sarcasm>
because they're obviously commies.
and everyone knows america is the bestest, smartest, and coolest place around.
</sarcasm>
Maybe now NASA will stop dilly-dallying around and get some new technology other than the outdated space shuttle.
I am confident that whatever "new technology" NASA gets will be a compromise between various mission requirements that the new shuttle will be billions of dollars overbudget and will do nothing the current shuttle cannot do, while being more unsafe.
Cynnicism, or realism? This is NASA, after all...
24 beers in a case, 24 hours in a day. Coincidence? I think not!
OK, if it is designed to be used 25 times...I sure wouldn't want to be on flight 25.
"Maybe now NASA will stop dilly-dallying around and get some new technology other than the outdated space shuttle."
Very true. The space shuttle dudes are thought of as masculine and manly, and are the ultimate chick magnets. They score with all the hot chicks and eventually become ultra-successful business executives.
The ISS dudes are thought of as girly Poindexters, who if they are lucky, will have a cubicle larger than a bread box and might even move out of their mommy's basement before they turn 45 -- about the same time they lose their virginity.
Unfortunatly, I think the US, Russia, China and India are all going to get tied up in a "Vaporware" space race. That is the country that can draw the best plans and PR will win.
I have no faith that manned space flight will ever get passed LEO in my lifetime
no, no. Everyone knows you should use stairs in case of fire. :-)
To-do List: Receive telemarketing call during a tornado warning. Check.
I've heard 'as smooth as a baby's ass' before, and 'as sweet as candy', but never 'candy-ass smooth'.
A 'candy ass' is a wimp in rasslin terminology. Is USAF tarmac as smooth as a wimp?!
Or, was it as smooth as an ass... covered in candy? By my reckoning, that would be sticky and potentially smelly, not smooth.
wtf?
The previous government was stuffed with ex-bankers who, from all arithmetics, only knew how to add and multiply :-)
<wistful>I wish Our Glorious Leader in the US could at least manage the same...</wistful>
May we never see th