Well, that all gets back to the problem that space isn't that important to the space program. If they get a vehicle built then someone will in Congress will want to see progress on flying it, then they'll ask for progress on flight rates, and progress on costs, and hit them with all sorts of other irritating questions. Over the long haul government agencies often undergo a mission change, from whatever it is they were founded to do, to just remaining in existence, filing nice looking reports, and fighting funding cuts. NASA has long since passed that point.
Back at the dawn of computers, someone asked why the US built the first computer instead of the British, when the British had a long-running government project to develop one, and a huge lead. I think it was Alan Turing who noted that the British wanted a computer project and the Americans wanted a computer.
Back at the dawn of computers, someone asked why the US built the first computer instead of the British, when the British had a long-running government project to develop one, and a huge lead. I think it was Alan Turing who noted that the British wanted a computer project and the Americans wanted a computer.
