Space Shuttle Resurrection?

[Steve R.]

I am a fan of the space shuttle program. Unfortunately the program "died' in 2011. That was 13 years ago. I was aghast that NASA did not have have a new space shuttle based on updated technology immediately available to replace the obsolete space shuttles. Evidently, I missed, (maybe because it is obstinately secret as a military program) the development of a scaled back program to develop an unmanned space shuttle plan. While development of a smaller unmanned vehicle is beneficial, I still miss having a full blown space shuttle. Landing returning astronauts by capsules utilizing parachutes seems outdated and an abandonment of a "real" space program.

Recently, two new articles appeared describing a "new" space plane (that are unfortunately unmanned). One Chinese, the other US.
China Unveils New Space Shuttle That Totally Doesn't Look Familiar At All
China’s secretive space plane has returned to Earth. Its mission? Unknown
US military's secretive spaceplane launched on possible higher-orbit mission
The US space plane began as the Boeing X-37. According to Wikipedia, development of this platform began in 1999. The development of the current version, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, began in 2006. So the "wheels were turning" to get a replacement shuttle, but not at all what I envisioned. Maybe there is still hope for a new manned space shuttle.

 

[Pat Hartman]

It is extremely foolish of us to abandon space to the Chinese. Thanks for Elon Musk and SpaceX.