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NASA Considering Early Retirement of Shuttle Program

Posted by michael on from the out-to-pasture dept.

Rei writes "While publicly assuring the public that it has no plans to do so, leaks have indicated that NASA has been quietly investigating plans to get rid of the Space Shuttle as soon as possible, and finish the International Space Station with disposable rockets, even as NASA works on achieving Return to Flight in 2005."

1 of 428 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Saturn Vs, Please? by OldAndSlow · · Score: 5, Informative
    I worked in a NASA shop 10 years ago. I was surprized to learn that we couldn't restart production of the Saturns. We don't have all the manufacturing specs, prints, etc. And we certainly don't have any of the jigs and special setups that they used to make those birds.

    The moral of the story is that when you shut down the manufacturing line for a complex product, you shut it down for good.