Flying the shuttle unmanned to finish ISS: realistic or not?

[vt_hokie]

A while back, I asked about the feasibility of modifying the space shuttle orbiters to deliver remaining ISS components unmanned. Automated orbital docking would be the biggest challenge, I'd imagine, but most everything else can already be done without a crew aboard. The feedback I received, however, generally indicated it was not feasible. <br /><br />But I just came across a link to this article on Nasawatch:<br /><br />http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/3308561<br /><br /><i>According to The New York Times, some NASA advisers are suggesting that the shuttles be modified to serve as unmanned cargo haulers for many of the missions to the space station. Since computers currently control the craft in flight except for docking and landing maneuvers, such an approach seems feasible and would eliminate the need to risk crews on all but a few missions. It would also allow the agency to quickly test new methods of preventing foam debris from damaging the shuttle in real launch situations without putting lives on the line.<br /><br /></i>

 

[bushuser]

If money was no object, the development of automated docking for the Shuttle would be a very wise thing, a technology which can be transferred to other launch systems in the near future. With the expense & development time involved, I can't see NASA ponying up the money to get it done.<br /><br />Would this be a project worth bidding out to small business, like an X-prize?

 

[somispin]

Technology is prone to potentially falter in the hands of man. However, technology is almost certain to falter with out the guidance of man. <br /><br />That is to say that a) the monetary strain would be huge on developing such a project, and b) if this newly developed technology failed, and was destroyed because of a random error in its creation, the money spent would have been for nothing.