Via The AP and The Mercury News…
LOS ANGELES - Maverick aerospace designer Burt Rutan on Thursday criticized NASA’s decision to use an Apollo-style capsule to return to the moon, saying it “doesn’t make any sense” to build a new generation of space vehicles using old technology.
The designer of SpaceShipOne said NASA’s proposed crew exploration vehicle to replace the aging space shuttle fleet doesn’t push the technical envelope needed to accomplish more complex future missions that might include manned flights to other planets and moons.
“I don’t know what they’re doing,” said Rutan, referring to NASA. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
Rutan said there needs to be a technological breakthrough in spacecraft design that would make it affordable and safe to send humans anywhere in the solar system. But he said he doesn’t know what that breakthrough will be.
I like this reply from (ack!) NasaWatch:
“Must be nice to be able to throw stones without having to actually come up with a solution.”
We think everything Rutan does is the way to do it, so much
so everyone assigned to the CEV is gonna grow ungodly long 70’s style sideburns, just like Berty.
Hope you’ve been well Jeremy.