FOIA: Access to Space: the Future of U.S. Space Transportation Systems

ACCESS_TO_SPACE.pdf
Access to Space: the Future of U.S. Space Transportation Systems
A report by the U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, titled Access to Space; the Future of U.S. Space Transportation Systems
Document date: 1990-04-01
Department: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment
Author: Consultants for the Office of Technology Assessment
Document type: report
pages: 90


Archivist's Notes: Good quality document. For sale to the public through the Government Printing Office. Details current and future technology for both unmanned and manned space craft.

produced in 1990 following the 1986 soace transportation crisis,this report by the office of technology assessment summarises several investigations into space transportation technologies. it examines all aspects of existing and potential future types of transportation for reliability, design and cost-effectiveness.

the x-33 resulted from the recommendations of this report ( full history here ). further studies have been done since this one

There is really nothing here that has not come out in some form over the years. What I find interesting is the high expectation of vehicle failures expressed here. While failures are to be expected, the tone here suggests that costs and departmental rivalries are a large part of the reason.

Also, there doesn't seem to be the overall enthusiasm for the X-30 that I would have expected. This too is a decision that has to be made with costs in mind, but from reading here one has a feeling of tentativeness by those involved.

And throughout, I am left with the feeling that the people making this report expect some technological advance to make much of their work, and the money invested, a waste of time, to some degree.

reply to post by AboveTopSecret.com


if i ever had the finances to develope a vehicle that could get me off this planet--------i would keep it a secret---------not file a flight plan or try to aquire a "pilots license" and would make it a one way trip looking for an uninhabited but life sustaining new world but of course would try to avoid a collision with earth bound flights while i try to make my escape-----sorry but i would never send back a postcard to earth or try to reveal where i had gone to.i wouldnt burn my ship like they did at pitcairn--------just in case someone followed me and i had to make another escape!