"John Carrier" wrote in message
...

Was worth it, but evidently no longer? We've all been there ... lose a
wingman, watch a friend hit the ramp ... when the risks suddenly seem very
real, very personal, and quite possible. Then you shake it off, put your
gear on, strap in and do it.

NASA has to develop a vehicle to go to the Moon before the Chinese get
there. The use of Mars as a destination is only a metaphor for wherever.
NASA has been given their priorities from the Executive and no new money.
How else can NASA continue to visit planets on less money than to use
robots?

The 2% loss rate for shuttles was acceptable when they were to build large
space structures for military applications as a stopgap measure. The
militarization of space race pretty well ended with Reagan's bluff in the
80's and so there was no follow on vehicle. The fact is, without a new
vehicle NASA may as well cease to exist as a manned flight program shortly
after 2010.