A continuing problem with maintaining the shuttle fleet was as time passed, materials science advanced, and some of the substances used to build or operate the shuttle became unavailable. New and improved materials would have to be exhaustively tested for compatibility with the 70s technology and structure of the existing shuttles.
Attempting to build a 'new' Saturn V might be rather difficult for the same reason, any thing used in the 70s with chlorofluorocarbons to make pieces of the Saturn V, for example, is going to be a headache, and multiply that problem by maybe 1000 or 10,000.
And with the advances in, for example, carbon fibre, why would anybody want to build a big old clunky Saturn V when a lighter, and more capable vehicle could be built.
And of course, that vehicle, in 30 years is going to be a maintenance and repair hog too, there will be all kinds of new materials developed in the interim, and qualifying them for compatibility and the rigors of space flight is a challenge.
Did you know a cadmium plated screwdriver cannot be allowed to touch an SR71 ?? There are potentially a million 'gotchas' out there, and that's why rockets are expensive.
Attempting to build a 'new' Saturn V might be rather difficult for the same reason, any thing used in the 70s with chlorofluorocarbons to make pieces of the Saturn V, for example, is going to be a headache, and multiply that problem by maybe 1000 or 10,000.
And with the advances in, for example, carbon fibre, why would anybody want to build a big old clunky Saturn V when a lighter, and more capable vehicle could be built.
And of course, that vehicle, in 30 years is going to be a maintenance and repair hog too, there will be all kinds of new materials developed in the interim, and qualifying them for compatibility and the rigors of space flight is a challenge.
Did you know a cadmium plated screwdriver cannot be allowed to touch an SR71 ?? There are potentially a million 'gotchas' out there, and that's why rockets are expensive.
