What comes after the shuttle?

[P32_Space_Modulator]

<p>Hiya folks, I'm new to this forum. I was windering if NASA had announced what vehicle is going to replace the space shuttle after 2010?</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Hiya folks, I'm new to this forum. I was windering if NASA had announced what vehicle is going to replace the space shuttle after 2010?&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /></font><strong>Posted by P32_Space_Modulator</strong></DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Welcome to the Community, P32!&nbsp; In broad terms the Space Shuttle, or Space Transportation System (STS), program is being replaced by Project Constellation.</p><p>The manned component of Shuttle's current mission will be undertaken by the Ares 1 launch vehicle and Orion crew capsule.&nbsp; The heavy-lift/cargo component of Shuttle's current mission will fall to the Ares V launch vehicle.</p><p>You can read more about Project Constellation at www.nasa.gov&nbsp;and, of course, here at Space Dot Com.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>SK<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

<p>[<font color="#0000ff">QUOTE]What comes after the shuttle?<br /> Posted by P32_Space_Modulator[/QUOTE]<br /></font></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pretty much what came before the Shuttle.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>

 

[pberrett]

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Given that the CEV won't be ready when the shuttle is retired my best guess is Soyuz although Shenzhou is always an option.</p><p>cheers Peter</p>

 

[vulture3]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hiya folks, I'm new to this forum. I was windering if NASA had announced what vehicle is going to replace the space shuttle after 2010?&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /> Posted by P32_Space_Modulator</DIV></p><p>Good question.&nbsp;</p><p>The Shuttle of course provided transportation for crew and cargo to low earth orbit.&nbsp; The COTS contracts with SpaceX and Orbital may, if we are fortunate, result in new LEO transport capability that will be substatially cheaperthan the Constellation system for transport to LEO. In addition the ATV, launched by Ariane V, while not carrying people will take up some of the load in transporting cargo to the ISS.</p><p>This begs the question of whether we will ever really have a safe and practical form of transportation to space, as the Shuttle was intended. The X-craft programs were intended to be the starting point for such a craft, but of course they were cut&nbsp; - to pay fot ISS, which is now also headed for the dustbin unless, of course, NASA changes course yet again after the next election. <br /> </p>

 

[holmec]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;Given that the CEV won't be ready when the shuttle is retired my best guess is Soyuz although Shenzhou is always an option.cheers Peter <br /> Posted by pberrett</DIV></p><p>Shenzhou is not an option unless China proves themselves to the ISS partners.</p><p>When STS is retired, Soyuz will be the only human access to ISS (unless SpaceX's Dragon comes online and somehow convinces NASA to use it for human spaceflight---BIG IF though). </p><p>Link to Orion&nbsp;</p><p>Link to Dragon </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This begs the question of whether we will ever really have a safe and practical form of transportation to space, as the Shuttle was intended. The X-craft programs were intended to be the starting point for such a craft, but of course they were cut&nbsp; - to pay fot ISS, which is now also headed for the dustbin unless, of course, NASA changes course yet again after the next election. <br /> Posted by vulture3</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I think at this point in time its safe to say that governments cannot deliver where it comes to cheap transportation to space.&nbsp; Commercial companies have the ability to deliver since they can actually scale up with time.....hence the airline industry scaled up to Boeing 747 in 1970, then the public could afford to travel by air.&nbsp; Governments cannot scale up in the same way since they are non profit and tax based.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

<p>&nbsp;earth_bound_misfit</p><p><font color="#339966">Pretty much what came before the Shuttle.</font> </p><p>&nbsp;Me:</p><p>Good answer!</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>