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Right now, the Shuttle is the only way to get more then a few people into space for more then a few days and carry out more then a few tasks.
We can't get by with out that.
So yes, we need a new craft with some heavy lift capacity. Magnum may fit the bill. We also need a way to put bunches of people in space at a time and give them the facilitys to get work done. Right now, thats the Shuttle.
On another note, back when the shuttle was first being made, an unmanned heavy lift version was proposed. This version of the shuttle system would have swapped the orbitor out in favor of what looks like a 'normal' one time use rocket. Instead of having to put heavy things like wings and crew compartments into space along with your payload, you put just payload up. So you can lift more and still recover a fairly good portion of the ship. Boeing acutally made a prototype, which is currently sitting in storage.
-Andy A.
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