NASA being Unfair.

[Risottia]

Yes, and none of them is going to be much useful. The whole point of the shuttle was being a heavy launch system.
So far the heaviest launcher we've got is the Energia, but, without a new Buran to attach to it, it's a goddamn waste. So we'll have to rely on Ariane 5, Delta IV Heavy and Soyuz TMA, as usual - since the Constellation program was a total failure.

We don't have energia, they only flew 2 and one of them failed horribly.

No Energia launch has failed. The Polyus didn't attain orbit because of a problem with the Polyus attitude control, not because of a proble with Energia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energia
It's not active anymore, but it can still be built - although the Russians prefer to use the old Energia platform to develop the new Angara system.
Oh and there was a prospective Energia variant which was COMPLETELY reusable, btw.

IT doesn't need Buran to work and Buran was crushed in a hanger collapse. (Final stage goes up not down)

It doesn't need Buran, but Buran was going to be a Shuttle++ (greater load capacity, better aerodynamic profile during ascent). Too bad it's lost.

The Delta IVs Ariane 5s and TMAs are good enough for what we're doing now.

But we could do better with larger launchers. We could build a bloody space dock to assemble interplanetar vectors, for one.

[Isolated China]

It doesn't work that way in General, specifically to keep people from silencing the other side of the argument.

Oh. Eh, well, never mind then.

[Syreene states]

I'm pretty fucking pissed at Obama for canceling Constellation, because the Ares V would have been a really awesome launch platform.

Of course, in an ideal world we'd be cranking out Sea Dragons by the dozen with NEXUS rockets for the really heavy stuff, but this is unfortunately not an ideal world.

Spaceplanes are shit, by the way. I'm all for reusable launch platforms, but anything like the Shuttle is just stupid.

Agreed. Although in My Ideal world, we'd have replaced the smaller rockets with a bunch of Hybrid Rocket/Mass Driver systems, and Air Launching stuff. Of course, with stuff like that, The ISS would be finished, (including the proposed Inflatable bits,) and a Nautilus-X derived design would be under construction as an Expeditionary ship. Sea Dragon would still figure in the picture, just not as much.

[Grenartia]

So it's unfair to send the shuttles to places where they'll be viewed by more members of the public and maintained properly?

Because the Johnson Space Center totally hasn't neglected their Saturn V rocket and let it deteriorate to shit.

In light of this revelation, I think that the shuttle should be sent to Huntsville for the following reasons:
1. Rocket park- practically every rocket used from the '50's through the '70's is there. And as of October 2005 (when I was there), they all appeared to be in excellent condition.

2. There are only two things at Huntsville that resemble an actual shuttle in any form. There's the Pathfinder shuttle (which was the prototype for the Enterprise), and a simulator at the Space Camp.

3. They have on display a piece located from Skylab, and the CM from Apollo 16.

4. This point kind of ties in with 2 and 3, but if they (the powers that be) wanted to, they could use an actual shuttle as a walk-in exhibit (I think it would be awesome for Space Camp as well). I remember they had a replica of part of the Mir space station that one could walk inside.

[The Corparation]

Because the Johnson Space Center totally hasn't neglected their Saturn V rocket and let it deteriorate to shit.

In light of this revelation, I think that the shuttle should be sent to Huntsville for the following reasons:
1. Rocket park- practically every rocket used from the '50's through the '70's is there. And as of October 2005 (when I was there), they all appeared to be in excellent condition.

2. There are only two things at Huntsville that resemble an actual shuttle in any form. There's the Pathfinder shuttle (which was the prototype for the Enterprise), and a simulator at the Space Camp.

3. They have on display a piece located from Skylab, and the CM from Apollo 16.

4. This point kind of ties in with 2 and 3, but if they (the powers that be) wanted to, they could use an actual shuttle as a walk-in exhibit (I think it would be awesome for Space Camp as well). I remember they had a replica of part of the Mir space station that one could walk inside.

More people go to NY then Huntsville. And museums seldom let people walk inside aircraft. I doubt any will do it with the shuttle. Also Pathfinder wasn't the prototype for Enterprise (Actually I think enterprise was constructed first or at least started first). It was a mockup with the same size and weight so they could test out the launch facilities and not have to worry about potentially damaging an experimental aircraft. It didn't even have a name until a Japanese company payed to have refurbished to look closer to the real thing for display at an expo.

[Zathganastan]

Why did california get one they don't even have a place to put it.
While houstan had an actual garge for the shuttle.
Really they only choice california because it's a more pouplar state.

[Grenartia]

In light of this revelation, I think that the shuttle should be sent to Huntsville for the following reasons:
1. Rocket park- practically every rocket used from the '50's through the '70's is there. And as of October 2005 (when I was there), they all appeared to be in excellent condition.

2. There are only two things at Huntsville that resemble an actual shuttle in any form. There's the Pathfinder shuttle (which was the prototype for the Enterprise), and a simulator at the Space Camp.

3. They have on display a piece located from Skylab, and the CM from Apollo 16.

4. This point kind of ties in with 2 and 3, but if they (the powers that be) wanted to, they could use an actual shuttle as a walk-in exhibit (I think it would be awesome for Space Camp as well). I remember they had a replica of part of the Mir space station that one could walk inside.

More people go to NY then Huntsville. And museums seldom let people walk inside aircraft. I doubt any will do it with the shuttle. Also Pathfinder wasn't the prototype for Enterprise (Actually I think enterprise was constructed first or at least started first). It was a mockup with the same size and weight so they could test out the launch facilities and not have to worry about potentially damaging an experimental aircraft. It didn't even have a name until a Japanese company payed to have refurbished to look closer to the real thing for display at an expo.

Apparently, they covered that up when I went there.

ZOMG SPACE-GATE!!!!

[The Corparation]

Why did california get one they don't even have a place to put it.
While houstan had an actual garge for the shuttle.
Really they only choice california because it's a more pouplar state.

Or maybe we got one because we built them. And we have a place to put it. Exhibition park.

[Zathganastan]

Why did california get one they don't even have a place to put it.
While houstan had an actual garge for the shuttle.
Really they only choice california because it's a more pouplar state.

Or maybe we got one because we built them. And we have a place to put it. Exhibition park.

Not really it was more about which would be a better tourest trap.
And also there going to the California Science Center.

[The Corparation]

Or maybe we got one because we built them. And we have a place to put it. Exhibition park.

Not really it was more about which would be a better tourest trap.

trollolololololo

[Zathganastan]

Not really it was more about which would be a better tourest trap.

trollolololololo

Also Unlike the other museums selected, the science center did not pre-release its exhibit design concepts for the orbiter.
Finally they where going to the California Science Center.

[Divair]

It is sad to see NASA ground to a complete halt, besides their little Mars rover and some data collection satellites.

I am a very strong believer that we need to explore and colonize outer space, but alas, the governments disagree.

[Occupied Deutschland]

It is sad to see NASA ground to a complete halt, besides their little Mars rover and some data collection satellites.

I am a very strong believer that we need to explore and colonize outer space, but alas, the governments disagree.

Exactly. We should be colonizing the damn moon by now, and since we planted a flag in it in 1969 it officially makes it OURS. Why the hell aren't we exploiting this? There has to be something valuable on the moon...

[The Corparation]

trollolololololo

Also Unlike the other museums selected, the science center did not pre-release its exhibit design concepts for the orbiter.
Finally they where going to the California Science Center.

Which is part of exhibition park. The fact is that California built them so California should get one. That's fair. As for NY its just a sad fact that they can take better care of their shit then Houston does. And get more visitors.

[Divair]

It is sad to see NASA ground to a complete halt, besides their little Mars rover and some data collection satellites.

I am a very strong believer that we need to explore and colonize outer space, but alas, the governments disagree.

Exactly. We should be colonizing the damn moon by now, and since we planted a flag in it in 1969 it officially makes it OURS. Why the hell aren't we exploiting this? There has to be something valuable on the moon...

I have to disagree that America should lead the charge (what I assume you meant by "we planted a flag it in in 1969 it officially makes it OURS").

Space is the one place we haven't destroyed with our pathetic wars and disputes.

Why not make it an international effort?

Although I do agree we need to start finding resources off-plant, or else our current living standard will be cut drastically as our resources dwindle into oblivion.

[Occupied Deutschland]

Exactly. We should be colonizing the damn moon by now, and since we planted a flag in it in 1969 it officially makes it OURS. Why the hell aren't we exploiting this? There has to be something valuable on the moon...

I have to disagree that America should lead the charge (what I assume you meant by "we planted a flag it in in 1969 it officially makes it OURS").

Space is the one place we haven't destroyed with our pathetic wars and disputes.

Why not make it an international effort?

Although I do agree we need to start finding resources off-plant, or else our current living standard will be cut drastically as our resources dwindle into oblivion.

My apologies. The imperialist inside me got the upper hand for a moment. I could get behind an international effort, hell maybe it's something we need even. But I'd like the US to have a role in it beyond sending people and equipment to Russia to be shot into space. Why can't we have nice things like new space shuttles?
Anyhow, point remains: Space exploration means resources we need to continue life as we know it.

[Zathganastan]

Also Unlike the other museums selected, the science center did not pre-release its exhibit design concepts for the orbiter.
Finally they where going to the California Science Center.

Which is part of exhibition park. The fact is that California built them so California should get one. That's fair. As for NY its just a sad fact that they can take better care of their shit then Houston does. And get more visitors.

And houstan was misson control all astronouts trained here and it was the control of space flights shifts to Houston from Cape Canaveral after launch.

[Hegstoria]

You do know it's going to the Intrepid Air & Space museum, right? It's not like they're placing it in some random museum. Honestly though, does it really matter? How about we stop bitching and moaning about where the space shuttle is going and concentrate on fixing the economy. I mean, it's as if there wasn't a major disaster in middle America, a fuel crisis, a still badly damaged economy, and a federal government that refuses to cooperate with each other. There are so many more important issues than whether or not Houston get's the space shuttle.

[Farnhamia]

Which is part of exhibition park. The fact is that California built them so California should get one. That's fair. As for NY its just a sad fact that they can take better care of their shit then Houston does. And get more visitors.

And houstan was misson control all astronouts trained here and it was the control of space flights shifts to Houston from Cape Canaveral after launch.

Houston. Astronauts.

Maybe NASA figured that with all the talk of Texas seceding, it would be better to put the shuttles somewhere they'd be safe.

[Zathganastan]

And houstan was misson control all astronouts trained here and it was the control of space flights shifts to Houston from Cape Canaveral after launch.

Houston. Astronauts.

Maybe NASA figured that with all the talk of Texas seceding, it would be better to put the shuttles somewhere they'd be safe.

But we didn't secede did we.

[Norstal]

Houston. Astronauts.

Maybe NASA figured that with all the talk of Texas seceding, it would be better to put the shuttles somewhere they'd be safe.

But we didn't secede did we.

Joke. It has been missed. Reload.

Really, California has more to do with the space program. More than you think. After all, we do have Caltech. That's where the research (pertaining to the physics of it all) is done.

[Hegstoria]

Houston. Astronauts.

Maybe NASA figured that with all the talk of Texas seceding, it would be better to put the shuttles somewhere they'd be safe.

But we didn't secede did we.

*Looks at Civil War map* Umm nope, I'm pretty sure you did.

[Zathganastan]

But we didn't secede did we.

*Looks at Civil War map* Umm nope, I'm pretty sure you did.

Yah 200 years ago.
Get over it noboby even thinks about the civil war anymore

[Divair]

*Looks at Civil War map* Umm nope, I'm pretty sure you did.

Yah 200 years ago.
Get over it noboby even thinks about the civil war anymore

Really? Even over here in Israel we talk about it occasionally.

Many of my Americans friends also say their parents talk about it from time to time, or they learn about it in class, or they discuss it with each other.


Maybe YOU don't even think about it.

[Farnhamia]

*Looks at Civil War map* Umm nope, I'm pretty sure you did.

Yah 200 years ago.
Get over it noboby even thinks about the civil war anymore

*sigh* And no one can count, either. 2011 - 1861 <> 200.

You didn't get the joke, let it go. The sarcasm is obviously lost on you.