Soyuz, anyone?

maybe something that doesn't act like It was made in china to spend all our money on?

The shuttle is pretty useless at this point.

Excellent. Always good to see an argument backed up by reasons and logic.

There is a good question of what exactly a human piloted space shuttle contributes scientifically.


It is true that some of the space shuttle missions seem to be publicity for NASA, I have read that the unmanned program is actually more useful in terms of gathering data.

I thought they had been trying out different designs for years now, although they think they have found a good one it needs the money to build it, thats if they have not already started

A heck of a lot cheaper as well.
Gerald Bull, the guy who allegedly got "offed" by perhaps the Mossad. He was working on artillery pieces which could hurl satellites into space.
http://www.astronautix.com/lvfam/gunnched.htm
There's a link with some information.
Now, as long as the launch doesn't smash the satellite to bits, this would be a very cheap way to throw stuff into space, wouldn't you say? Perhaps this would be the best way to actually send parts for an international space station where a manned mission in orbit will catch these parts as they enter orbit near them and conduct assembly.

The X-33, the last thing I've heard about a replacement. Debuted in 1998.

I still think the massive cannon is a great idea.

name an astronaut that will get into that! I think it's a good Idea too but it sounds too "human cannon" for many people to accept it.

I meant for unmanned missions.
Obviously a person would be killed by the massive G forces before he even got half way up the tube.