Most likely what the NPR bloke meant is that the original machine tools used for manufacturing the Shuttles have been dismantled and put to other uses, the dies have been melted down or whatever, and so you can't just phone up an order to the factory for another shuttle.
dd Doug Henwood wrote: > > Ian Murray wrote: > > >I just heard on NPR news that the US no longer has the > manufacturing ability > >to make any more space shuttles....... > > Eh? It's a 1970s design that it would make no sense to > replicate now. > But it's impossible to believe the U.S. couldn't design > and build one > based on 2000s technology. You have more context? > > Doug
