07-09-2011, 02:37 PM
(07-09-2011, 02:31 PM)Jacob_ Wrote: I think it's a good thing; the shuttle program has been around for 30 years. Lots of research on better rocket propulsion techniques has been done since then; we just need to implement them.
Exactly. Also, safety. If you had an problem with a shuttle on launch or re-entry, there was nothing you could do -- hence Challenger and Columbia. With the Orion, you can eject the crew capsule if there's an issue on launch or re-entry.