Originally Posted by Scrolllock:
“The Saturn system wasn't meant to last any longer than accomplishing the mission of going to the moon.
They haven't lost "momentum" on any project that I know of.”
I would call landing on the moon in 1969 and 40 years later, still not achieving any thing better, a loss of momentum.
Originally Posted by Scrolllock:
“NASA can and should develop it's own "back up" systems. NASA should not be depending on a foreign space agency that increasingly, and arrogantly, seems to think they should have a place in more and more NASA projects.”
They can't afford the main system they are building. Plus if like some people might want, they simply sell their system to the Europeans, if it go's wrong and their people get stranded, the back up will be no good as its the same technology.
America has refused to cooperate with any other agency on their constellation program. They are only doing it for Mars robotic science because their broke.
A lot of ESA / NASA joint projects are simply cancelled half way through by the American administration at the time.
ESA has always tried for international cooperation, so the whole human race can go in to space together. If any one is arrogant it is the Americans.
Now at this point in the NASA space flight forums I would get permanently banned for outrageous comments.
ESA has even tried to work with the Russians and Japan. The Russian just wanted our money in return for a few seats as usual. They would build it and launch it from Russia.
ESA is the most cooperative and efficient space agency going in the world and Britain should have a single agency of its own to play a much bigger part in ESA's missions.
Americas main contribution to ISS has been the shuttles cargo capacity. I am all for Europeans having their own capacity to provide their fair share, in the same way they should militarily in their defence.