4 ms·
The reason it was expensive was the military specs (be able to land back home after one orbit etc). The goal of the space shuttle was also to help drive USSR to
by namaria 3y ago
The reason it was expensive was the military specs (be able to land back home after one orbit etc). The goal of the space shuttle was also to help drive USSR to bankruptcy and it delivered. The soviet counterpart was a huge resource drain and did exactly nothing.
- pfdietz 3y agoThe reason for military specs was the case for the Shuttle was so marginal it required fantastical projections of launch rates and launch market to make the numbers work (and all that was far too optimistic, as subsequence experience showed). This required all government launch customers to use it. NASA desperately needed the military on board; the military didn't want it and had to be strong armed into supporting it. That military requirements were then added has to be the responsibility of NASA (or of NASA's political masters) for forcing the military to be a customer.