NASA to retire Atlantis by 2008

[TheMadCap]

What they should do, is never fly the accursed thing again, and let the rest of the world finish/sheetcan the ISS. Move on to doing something that will actually bring a result, even if it is thier CEV or uneccesary moon project.

 

Anything, just do SOMETHING NASA! Stop pissing away money on that flying metal turkey and it's bastard child of Frankenstein.

 

However, what they will likely do is fund BOTH projects, the CEV/SDV and continue to fly shuttle to "finish" the ISS.

 

Why do one when you can do both at twice the price, right??

 

 

 

http://www.space.com/news/ft_060218_atlantis_retire.html

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

We're going to keep it in as near flight-ready condition as we can without putting it through an (overhaul) so we can use those parts

 

That statement alone makes me question NASA management's sanity. There's a lot of work that goes into keeping it even near flight ready...just to use it as a hangar queen?

 

Again...I support the exploration of space. I support the manned exploration of space. What NASA's doing isn't either, and I don't support it.

[PTS]

I wasn't aware we were done with the Pegasus Galaxy. What did the SGC discover that prompted them to abandon Atlantis?

 

[TheMadCap]

That statement alone makes me question NASA management's sanity.  There's a lot of work that goes into keeping it even near flight ready...just to use it as a hangar queen? 

 

Again...I support the exploration of space.  I support the manned exploration of space.  What NASA's doing isn't either, and I don't support it.  

606827[/snapback]

 

 

Shuttles undergo an Orbiter Major Modification period about once every ten years or so. They essentially disassemble the entire spacecraft and put it back together, which ususally takes about two years. Endeavor is going through one right now (since December 2003 to be exact) and isn't ready to go yet, which is why NASA has to keep flying two shuttles.

 

Atlantis is (was) scheduled to undergo this modification this year. Instead of spending the dough to do it, they will just save money by retiring it now. Discovery has obviously been through hers already.

 

And you are exactly right, NASA does want to keep it a bunch of work. That's the only way to ensure that the thousands of people who are involved with STS stay employed. If they weren't, NASA would not require as much funding, hence, budgets tend to decrease. It's a vicious cycle...