Quote:
Originally posted by Proximo
Nasa doesn't have the will, simply because it's dominated by "good old boys" who aren't treating it as a competetive organisation.
They want to be the #1 in space. Getting to the moon will give them that.
The US and NASA need to get off their collective arses and actually work, instead of relying on 20 year old experimental vehicles. Oh yes, and never forget that. The shuttle is an experimental vehicle, not a production orbiter. It was never meant to fly for this long.
|
1) Well, these "Good ol' Boys" have done pretty well over the last 40+ years. It's true that they are a govenment-funded dinosaur, but nobody is going head-to-head with them. They'll leave the competition to the private sector...and they'll end up with the technology anyway through government contracts.
2) Actually, that would make the Chinese #3 in space and #2 on the moon. If they want to be #1 at something, then they need to beat us to Mars. That's not going to happen.
3) I hardly think the Space Shuttle is an "experimental vehicle." Enterprise was the experimental vehicle/prototype. Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour served their purpose as production vehicles.
Personally, I'm not worried about the Chinese. Let them get all cocky, until they suffer an accident or other serious setback. When the Brits actually do something in space, then you can all get on your collective soapboxes, point fingers at us, and call us "stupid yanks."
