realtime - 22/10/2005 2:15 PMYou're right, they are such different craft that it's hard to compare the two in any meaningful way.Astronautix has it at $245 million at 6 flights/year, with an additional $63M "fly-away" unit cost, whatever that means.http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/shuttle.htmAnd Soyuz is at $30-$50 million.http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/soyuzst.htm
FY 2006 highlights include:2.390 billion for salaries and benefits and $74.9 million for travel for 18,798 full time equivalent personnel.Salaries are included in G&A or program direct costs as appropriate.
realtime - 23/10/2005 12:48 AMBudget request summary for NASA FY06-FY10.http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/107493main_FY_06_budget_summ.pdfWhat do these numbers tell us? Looks like one shuttle will be retired in 2007-2008, with another to follow in 2009. Either that or flights are reduced. Even a single flight can greatly impact the bottom line, as you said.Toward the bottom (SUM 1-20, page 21):QuoteFY 2006 highlights include:2.390 billion for salaries and benefits and $74.9 million for travel for 18,798 full time equivalent personnel.Salaries are included in G&A or program direct costs as appropriate.Looks like 14.5% of the budget is NASA workforce (all departments). Does "full time equivalent" count contractor workforce?
Flightstar - 23/10/2005 11:49 AMIt shows how much NASA spends on managers and covering its own ass. Over 2 billion to MSFC as per usual.
GirlygirlShuttlefan - 25/10/2005 6:28 PMWell I think that is pretty conclusive on the poll results so far.
Flightstar - 25/10/2005 7:55 PMQuoteGirlygirlShuttlefan - 25/10/2005 6:28 PMWell I think that is pretty conclusive on the poll results so far.As it should do, but that mirrors all recent polls in several areas. Shows the ones that do not respect the Shuttle simply are a vocal minority.
realtime - 23/10/2005 1:27 AMStill, NASA has said that it doesn't expect to greatly reduce its workforce after STS. They intend to use them for VSE development and missions. I don't know if that's a little white lie, or if they expect attrition to take care of the downsizing that's almost sure to come.
UK Shuttle Clan - 26/10/2005 6:45 AMI think everyone who likes what the Shuttle has achieved knows it's time (2010) to retire them. I get very angry when people think we want them to stay forever. They had a job to do and they had it changed several times and still managed to do it successfully for over 100 flights plus. People are too fast to maon as if they are really safe and have problems when of course it is never safe, and neither with the CEV be.
GirlygirlShuttlefan - 26/10/2005 9:16 AMI noticed someone put "after one HSM". Does that person just want a flight to the Hubble. Personally I think we shouldn't even bother with Hubble. Why risk a crew for a telescope that won't be around soon anyway!