[davamanra]

The Russians seem to have a pretty good system.IMHO part of the problem of the shuttle was we asked it to do too much.  As I said before I have nothing but admiration for the shuttle's designers, but it was ahead of it's time.  The Direct proposal has a lot of merit as it is using numerous tried and true components.  It wouldn't be too hard to build in a large margin of simplicity, ruggedness, reliability and safety with an LV like Jupiter 232.  Will we find problems as we proceed?  Of course, but with this production line approach we can optimize,  improve and correct as we go.  We can just keep on cranking out the equivalent of Model T spacecraft every month or so. Depending on the mission(s) that we are launching we build the necessary modules to fit the requirement and send them up.  

[lkm]

Can the words, simple, rugged and reliable ever really be applied to launch system?

[davamanra]

IMHO develop a Saturn V class booster that is crude, rugged and reliable and can be built in a production line manner. Develop a standardized module system that can put a wide variety of payloads into orbit, again built in a production line manner.
From there arrange a launch schedule that would launch a new mission into orbit about once a month.
Do not try and over-think or over-optimize the system. Make it simple, rugged and reliable so that it can do the job and being in a production line system the costs will plummet.
Establish a way station in orbit to for the payloads to dock to. From there the way station crew will set up the payload for whatever mission it has and launch from there.

[lkm]

Assuming the Griffin plan succeeds and NASA is left in 2010 with absolutely no manned space program at all, STS is retired and dismantled, the workforce has been desimated and fired, Ares 1/V have been canceled as unworkable and far too expensive, and thus NASA is free to begin again with a clean slate, what should it do?

[lkm]

Human nature is self-interested, and it's in everyones to, by and large, get along. So we do, by and large.