For 30 years I have been impressed by the Space Shuttle or Space Transport System... It carried up to 7 astronauts to space plus a living room plus up to 20 tons of cargo - a marvel of efficiency... And after a mission the orbiter landed as an airplane - which is very comfortable and secure again...
However the currently developed Space Launch System already seems to exceed the Space Shuttle... Its space capsule will be also able to carry up to 7 astronauts - not only in an Earth orbit but to Moon and Mars missions as well... (The Space Launch System will be able to solve the delivery of cargo into space, too by the way...) I think one of the most important differences is re-entry and landing...
Landing the Space Shuttle as an airplane from orbit on an airport runway must have been an exhausting feat of daring each time... Of course, after a long Moon mission or an even longer Mars mission you cannot expect this from anybody... That's why the tired astronauts of the new space capsule are going to splash into the ocean again and it will be the task of the earthly staff to fish them out of the rocking water...
Best wishes, Joseph de la Mikula and Team
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