We Created It, We Can Recreate it----Space Shuttle -- email to former NASA friends

Thanks for discussing this with me, I have the utmost respect for you all.

If you compare CC, Shuttle, and the " right approach" TBD, the shuttle wins because we know "good & bad" of shuttle and it exists .  SLS/Orion as Norm indicated is a waste since we could cover its objective through shuttle missions.  Cc has minimal capability and when manned without adequate attention to safety may result in crew losses, believe Wayne Hale calls it a train wreck.   Development, and testing of complex systems and correction of design& test deficiencies for manned systems is costly and does not occur over short periods of time.

In the case of cc and the tbd approach, the DD & T phase is just beginning and will require many years to complete and in the end for cc we don't have the capability needed by the Country.  The tbd approach is even further back in time.  However, with shuttle we know what we have, even though putting humpty dumpty together again will be expensive, failure to do it will be even more expensive to the USA space effort & National Security.  As you all know the shuttle is quite versatile and we can improve it as Don notes.  The cc and SLS will leave us without the needed capability.  Therefore, I believe getting shuttle going is what we should fight for.  I know we should have gotten this underway much earlier, however the fact remains shuttle and shuttle concept are what we need.   Mr. Abbey stated a few years ago that we should fly shuttle for decades ( with improvements).   If one reads what has been written pro/con shuttle, one can only conclude it is the proper approach for the Nation.  Bob' s paper convinced me to a greater degree that the shuttle wasn't treated fairly from an engineering/scientific viewpoint.  We all know with proper attention to problems, the shuttle is relatively safe and of course requires improvement.  Agree with many that Bolden is a mouthpiece of BHO and as Griffin stated, they don't want American Preeminence.  Needless to say I never thought he would be involved with something like that.

We created shuttle, and we can recreate it.  All hardware can be returned to NASA.  If we can fly new programs we can fly shuttle again.  It will be costly but so is the wrong approach.

I was hoping you all would join me in a group to get the facts out to the public.  I honestly think we can get shuttle flying, if we get public stirred up.  Chron.com poll shows 60 percent public support for shuttle.  I kinda figured you all would be more passionate since many of you were more involved than I in shuttle development.  I understand your positions and appreciate you taking the time to communicate with me.

Thanks again,

Bobby Martin

Sent from my iPad