Comment Re:We are not rocket scientists, obviously. (Score 2, Informative) 145
You may not be a rocket scientist, but I am, so let me clarify a few things here.
You seem to be confusing ULA and NASA launch efforts here. The Atlas V and Delta IV EELVs are commercial designs. Titan is retired, never to be launched again, and the future (and ultimate feasibility) of Ares I or V remains uncertain. Also, under point 6, Atlas and Atlas-Centaur are the same thing. Atlas refers to the first stage booster and Centaur is the second stage.
Drastically increasing the launch schedule of EELVs would be a tall order, necessitating a great deal of infrastructure development. Where all the money for this, and all these extra payloads you'd like to launch, will come from I have no idea. Right now the gov't is up to its eyeballs in debt, and is rapidly increasing that debt bailing out automakers, banks, and lining congressional districts with cash for votes. I'd love you see the increase in launches just as much as you would (it'd keep me employed), but it's certainly not realistic.
But I have to take issue with the basic premise that seemingly underlies your post here, which is that NASA (or the gov't in general) needs to be the one designing, building, and launching these rockets. Why? Why limit the launch industry to one or two designs with the NASA-approved stamp on them? (Which may or may not be the best vehicles for putting things and/or people into orbit.) Why not promote competition and increase the demand for vehicles in the launch industry by getting NASA out of the launch business altogether. Make NASA a purchaser of rides, not a supplier. The launch industry can then build and fly the designs it wants and let a multitude of designs compete. My dream would be to see another few Space-Xs pop up in the next few years. Thankfully we're actually starting to see a little bit of what I want with the ISS resupply contracts to Space-X and Orbital. I would be even happier, though, if NASA were out of the launch business altogether.