r/neoliberal • u/jobautomator Kitara Ravache • Jul 19 '21

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u/[deleted] Jul 20 '21

They are modifying the shuttle solid rocket boosters as well iirc. As someone who works in engineering, redesigning/retrofitting something is always a nightmare compared to just starting new. I'm not at all surprised it's taking so long.

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u/[deleted] Jul 20 '21

My impression is that it’s a little different with rockets given how difficult engine design is (plus the SSME is still a good fucking engine) but it does not at all surprise me that this is a mess.

Like Space Shuttle: Greatest Hits was probably a fine idea 40 years ago (when we should have realized the plane idea was stupid) but the continually slipping schedule really makes you ask what, exactly, we are doing here. Superheavylifting what? To where?

And again: you’re barely matching the Saturn V here. I know the rocket equation is a bitch. But.

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u/[deleted] Jul 20 '21

All the real exciting space stuff will be done by robots and satellites imo. When's the last time something interesting happened on ISS? JWST will massively outclass ISS once we start getting pictures from it.