The technology used in the space shuttle is way out of date. IN order to build a new space shuttle one would have to retrofit it with modern technology that is

The technology used in the space shuttle is way out of date. IN order to build a new space shuttle one would have to retrofit it with modern technology that is backwards compatible to the signals the old technology used in the shuttle to operate things. For example use a Raspberry PI with an emulator for the old system that the space shuttle used and wire it into the old ports the shuttle uses for connections. You'd have a lighter shuttle that doesn't need as much fuel, but the cost of writing the emulator would be a lot of money. You'd have to reverse engineer the technology in a working shuttle. NASA let this patent expire because it is old technology they aren't using anymore. In modern times there are a few companies building their own rockets that are more economical than building a shuttle. Much as I'd like to see shuttle clones, I remember it had issues that caused at least two shuttles to explode and get destroyed. In making a shuttle clone you'd have to fix the o-ring and loose tiles thing.