2nd February 2003, 1:59 PM
The problem is as lazy said, shuttles are WAY too complicated. The challenge now is making something that can do what a shuttle does, but is as simple as a helicopter, and can go to space and back in one stage. Simplicity in the technology is the goal now, not more complexity, which as has been said, just means more can go wrong.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)