NASA to Cut Costs on Future Moon Trip

While a $35-billion plan to make good on President Bush’s old promise of getting us back to the glory of moon exploration is floating around NASA, some high-ranking officials have called for a different route: cutting the costs down to $6.6 billion with what is essentially a shuttle minus the shuttle. The alternative, touted by shuttle program manager John Shannon, would return NASA to shuttles of old using a system with massive orange fuel tank and twin solid-rocket boosters but no shuttle. Two vehicles would be carried by the modified shuttle system, one for cargo and one for astronauts. The plan has been floated past an independent panel reviewing NASA’s programs and has received warm welcomes. While the cut-back plan isn’t a definite, it does show some significant doubt in NASA about the more expensive plan to build new shuttles. And doubt and cut backs are always what anyone wants to hear when it comes to exploring space. [via SF Gate] [Photo: Kevin]