NASA is in the market for commercial missions ?

[holmec]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Dam 10 years is long ways away to send people to the moon. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />But its not a long time to make a spacecraft. The LEM was originally given 7 years to be developed. It took all that and a little more.<br /><br />So the time consuming effort is making all the major hardware. To go to the moon we need Ares I, Ares V, TLI booster, new LM, and new Command module (Orion). Five major components by my count. Crews will have to be made at a later date. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[nec208]

But its not a long time to make a spacecraft. The LEM was originally given 7 years to be developed. It took all that and a little more. <br />=================================<br />But is that building from the ground up? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

Including the literal foundations. The book "Spaceport" goes into extensive detail about the construction of Kennedy Space Center, and particularly Launch Complex 39 (the two pads, the VAB, the crawlerway, etc). The soft, sandy soil is a real challenge for architects. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[wize1]

NASA doesn't seem to be in any position to expand from their current mission, are they hard up for funds ?