Author here, while I agree with some of your points, phasing out technologies is less of a problem as much as forgetting them. For example, we have far better i

Author here, while I agree with some of your points, phasing out technologies is less of a problem as much as forgetting them. For example, we have far better insulators than asbestos now that can serve as thermal protection systems if we ever build a rocket of this scale again. One example of these new technologies are aerogels. In 2012, NASA showed off the HIAD, Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator, it's a flexible heat shield that's made out of aerogel, https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/game_changing_development/HIAD/index.html https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/game_changing_de... Plus toxic materials are very much still in use in the space industry, including asbestos. They're used as separators in fuel cells, insulation for missiles, etc Asbestos was banned for buildings not for the space industry. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/decades-after-proof-of-its-carcinogenic-properties-asbestos-still-surrounds-us https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/decades-after-proof-of-its... It will be replaced slowly as better materials become available.