...can't they just lower some ropes and chains and pull up materials? We do it all the time in my treehouse. Seems easier than launching these dangerous shuttles.
Sure you can! If you can speed up whatever you want to bring to the space station to 17,500 mph, then they'll bring it up on a rope for you, because that's how fast they're going
Why do they insist on capsules? Why not take the advice of someone from FPA; build it at the space station and design it to refuel/load from there, eliminating the need to return to earth? We still have to get things up to the ISS, but that'll be left to the Russians and their superior rockets. We can take over 'space exploration' by just skipping that part. "Oh but what if they don't want to help us shuttle our crew/items up to the ISS one day?" No worries, Virgin and Japan/other countries are working on that! So we'll find one way or another to get to the ISS.
I think for the same reason the Space Shuttle can't visit BOTH the Hubble Telescope and the Space Station in one trip is the same reason why you wouldn't ever have a ship from beyond low earth orbit return to dock at the Space Station...the necessary changes in velocity would require too much fuel. Picture this: the ISS is orbiting earth at 17,000 mph, while the Apollo craft had to reach speeds of 25,000 mph to go to the moon. You don't just get to slow down for free in space, so would you rather launch your rocket from earth to bring more mass (computers, moon buggies, test equipment, etc.) to your destination? Or would you rather use fuel as that mass so you can slow down from deep space to dock at the station?
If you can't learn to do it well, learn to enjoy doing it badly.
