STS Mission safety etc.

[RMS Driver]

Sadly, this additional delay feeds right into the hands of that haters in Congress and NASA that want the Shuttle retired after STS-133. 

[STS-120]

It certainly does, and , I know I'm making myself unpopular saying this, to an extent, I can't blame them,when a vehicle is so sensitive that a couple of sensors/valves render it unfit for use, then one really ought to look at a more viable and actually working option. What I dislike are people who say the shuttle needs to go but don't have an alternative.

[marvx]

In my mind 2 desaster missions are enough and i am goin with NASA to clear any defects before launching the shuttle

no more to say ...

/Marvx

[USA~Driver]

In my mind 2 desaster missions are enough and i am goin with NASA to clear any defects before launching the shuttle

no more to say ...

/Marvx

Strongly seconded.

Not sure what the rush to launch is all about. I wouldn't want to drive my car with a leaking fuel tank. Let's try to get through these final missions without any problems or commissions. If anything else tragic happens, That will be the end of it no matter what's going on with the ISS.

[marvx]

And as in SSM the patience is one manner astronauts must have....or do you really think, they are happy about all those delays?

/Marvx

[RMS Driver]

I was in no way saying that we need to launch the Shuttle even with a large risk of LOCV, but that the Shuttle is a very sensitive vehicle, and many people in Congress and NASA see it as too unreliable. This additional delay just feeds the fire...

[STS-120]

I totally agree with RMS Driver I was just emphasising on that, of course they shouldn't take any risks, but its just ther opposition has another point.

[Moonwalker]

Sadly, this additional delay feeds right into the hands of that haters in Congress and NASA that want the Shuttle retired after STS-133. 

There are basically three kind of people: Shuttle fan boys who would like to see the Shuttle flying longer, just for the sake to see it flying. Then we have some NASA employees who would like to keep their jobs. And we have responsible persons who, for good reasons, look behind the curtain and watch the economical factors and risk factors, which is the most important thing to do. The Shuttle is simply too expensive, and as the STS-107 investigation has turned out, too risky. The only one reason why the program still is alive past STS-107 is the commitment to assemble the ISS. Another important fact is that an extension of the program would not decrease the gap. It would just delay it.

Shutting down STS as soon as possible is more than a rather valid decision, if humans want to go further into space, which actually is the job of NASA, instead to get stuck in LEO for many decades, based on a budget and delay hungry system, requiring potential "rescue" missions...

[RMS Driver]

I fully support retiring the Shuttle. However, I do think that it is a little naive to fully rely on the Russian space program and commercial space programs to shuttle US astronauts to our ~$100 billion investment during the 5 year absence of a manned NASA vehicle. What happens is US-RUS relations suddenly go very cold? What happens if the commercial launch projects are delayed and/or are canceled?

[sgi]

About to retire or not to retire STS in 2010, on December 2008 someone talked about the possibility, for the Shuttle program, to continue until 2012 with five missions added to those in program, at a cost of 3 billion dollars for year. I know there is a report in NASA HQ about this. Why this idea? Because USA President would prefer a minor gap between STS program and Constellation program. But inside NASA Griffin is absolutely contrary, he needs more funds for Constellation.
Could someone report last news about this project?

[Moonwalker]

That extending the Shuttle flights would make the gap minor is wrongly believed by many people (not a 2-year extension, and less than ever a 5-year extension would make it minor; it would just shift it forward). It is also more than doubtful that beside Russia anybody else would become able to send humans to the ISS during the gap. Space flight fans and those who work in the business have to be prepared for all this. There is no way around.