popularmechanics.com — With the iconic Space Shuttle nearing retirement, the pressure is on NASA to design a new manned vehicle — one that will deliver us safely to the lunar surface by 2020 before building a lasting lunar base. From ensuring safe launch to getting the vehicle back on the ground, here's a look at the toughest challenges facing the spacecraft's engineers
Feb 21, 2007 View in Crawl 4
mooniniteFeb 22, 2007
I'd like them to get with AMD/Intel and space-harden some faster processors.NASA's biggest problem is that it is attached to the government. Lots of stuff we "civilians" would love to see arn't going to happen.
doscojonesFeb 22, 2007
What's been holding them back? No will. No money. Politics. The public made it very clear that after we beat the Soviets to the moon that they didn't care anymore. That's a simple fact of history. My family was there, building the machines and launching them. No one was more baffled than we were when it all went away.
viviwanuFeb 22, 2007
Why can't NASA just improve upon the technology in 1969 that made the moon mission such a breeze? Wait, maybe they never made it to the moon and instead faked the entire mission? NASA, just put down your pride and ask the big brothers in the sky for help.
konrad9Feb 22, 2007
Here I am, in my dream college, in my dream major (videogame programming), and when I read these stories I want nothing more in the entire world than to be on those missions.
Closed AccountFeb 22, 2007
beside these 16 billion... what about 600 billion being used for military purposes? why don't they transfer 300 billion to NASA and 200 for social purposes, and leave the rest for military?
theboozerFeb 22, 2007
Why do I get so giddy about a the thought of us having a Moonbase? Everything about this is right.
0crabby0Feb 22, 2007
Where is the X-38?<a class="user" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdjLhsQoeGA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdjLhsQoeGA</a><a class="user" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRh7NWqAkZk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRh7NWqAkZk</a>