Moreover... the engines for the are un-mothballed shuttle engines... 1970's technology. And instead of developing a new engine, they are 're-qualifying' new suppliers, etc. so they can start re-producing these engines. As most of the suppliers (even down to the steel mills and metals-suppliers) are no longer around or capable... they have to go out and find new suppliers for huge numbers of parts.I admire the efforts but I have to admit that this is a little underwhelming and doesnt say much for us if this is the best we can do after 53 years since the first mission to the moon. I mean think about it, we should have incredible advancements in that amount of time, yet we don’t.
They won't even have a new 'qualification' engine done before next summer -- built with all new parts from new suppliers. So until then, they are just running on salvage shuttle engines.
Appalling! This whole thing is just a woke pile of garbage... and proving only that the U.S. Manufacturing Base is now so totally incompetent and bankrupt that we can't even supply 1970's technology any more. Because we don't have the industrial base.
Pathetic. The more I read about/hear about this 'program' the more of a total mess it looks like. Every time NASA's 'press liasions' and briefers open their mouths I facepalm. These idiots shouldn't be shooting off bottle rockets.
Wow. Just wow.
Sirhr