CSE Lobbies for 17B NASA Budget

[dobbins]

NASA couldn't afford the X-planes because of the high operating costs of the current spaceplane. Spaceplane induced budget problems precede the VSE, another bit of reality that spaceplane fanboys avoid.<br /><br />

 

[nacnud]

Also the cost of developing the X space planes grew larger than the projected budgets of those projects, causing them to be canceled <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[dobbins]

One reason the X-spaceplanes ran into budget and technical problems is they were overly ambitious. Instead of a simple design that would test some of the concepts they went for swiss army knife designs that introduced a host of new concepts all at once. That is just asking for trouble.<br /><br />

 

[spacefire]

how was the X38 too ambitious? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[dobbins]

In the case of the X-38 it was a stupid concept from day one. Believe it or not NASA does have a budget that it has to live within and a specialized vehicle that can only do one mission simply doesn't fit within the budget.<br /><br />

 

[spacefire]

the X38 was slated to become a CTV eventually, besides a CRV. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[dobbins]

That is far less capability at a higher price than the CEV. Of course Bush did endorse the VSE, so it just has to be bad for some reason or another simply because Bush is for it.<br /><br />