Re:well.. (Score 1)

<mode='half sarcasm'>You may or may not be aware that the shuttle flights took place after the Saturn and Apollo launches. </mode> One would expect there to be a learning curve for NASA such that later designs and launches would incorporate lessons learned from previous launches. With the faulty design of the shuttle -- two shuttles lost in flight -- I don't think that NASA learned the lessons well. I won't say that's two too many -- spaceflight is risky in the best of circumstances -- but I don't believe the claim that the shuttle program is successful.