in worst case the Shuttle look somthing like this
real proposal of rockwell for Alterantive Shuttle concept.
the Dyna Soar main problem is internal structure
This was designed to compensate for thermal expansion of the hot structure during re-entry.
You mean that Dynasoar would have had structure problems, burning during reentry ?
As I understand the way things went, Nixon had a choice to have NASa pursue either a shutte program, or a Mars program. If the USAF was already doing what amounted to a shuttle, I would think NASA goes ahead with a MArs program. Probabkly landing a manned Mars mission sometime in the 1980's.
I thought the shuttle was considered a necessary first step for a Mars programme. 1. Shuttle, 2. Space station, 3. Mars mission, in an interplanetary ship launched from space station.
you dont need Space Shuttle and Space Station for Marsmission
the Boeing 1969 Study "Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft."
need only Saturn V and Saturn IB
the mission module serve as Space Station for assembly Crew
you save bilions of Dollar with no Shuttle/Station developent
the mission module prototype sever as Space Station for Hardware Test in orbit.
Something possible more weighing is what the effect of a nuclear-capable weapons system that can head for Moscow within twenty minutes of an order to launch and giving Soviet radars no more than three minutes warning does to the international situation.
you dont need Space Shuttle and Space Station for Marsmission
the Boeing 1969 Study "Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft."
need only Saturn V and Saturn IB
Yeah, but ICBMs can react within three or four minutes, and when you launch the things, well...the Soviets had early-warning satellites to pick up hot exhaust plumes from missile launches, too, and that would include the boosters they sent the Dyna-Soar up on, you know. So, the element-of-surprise thing, well...not as much.
They could be recalled, though, and retargeted...for reconnaissance, well...they might offer a combination of the advantages of a spyplane and a photoreconnaissance satellite...ideally.